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gb-patch · 3 years

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Ask Answers: March 30th, 2021- Part 1

We’ve been really focused on getting the Step 3 DLC done and keeping up with asks kind of got away from me, aha. Thank you for waiting for a reply! We’re still definitely behind, but here’s a good chunk of responses!

I love Our Life so much but if the release of the step 3 dlc is in April, please don't "release" it on April 1, my poor heart can't take that prank 😭

Don’t worry! I’m horrible at pranks, haha. When we do post something specifically for April Fool’s it’s always to pretend it’s a joke when in reality it’s something we’re actually planning to do. But we don’t have anything like that arranged for this year. Any posts on April 1st will just be like normal.

Omigod, can you end the game in love with Cove but not in a relationship? My character stayed calm at the restaurant and Cove slept over at her home and I think I may have missed it. I'm delirious if I did, may never stop laughing. The children are idiots

Haha, yes, it is possible to be in love and still not get into an actual relationship. There’s no forced ending where the two are made to confess their feelings and accept, it’s all optional/avoidable.

How can you see the new main character cut-in images? I'm not trying to be rude, but, all of my playthroughs, but I haven't seen them yet. (I know you can go through an entire game without seeing them, but I have went through multiple games.)

It’s a bit of a spoiler to say here, but you can check out the guide we posted on Steam HERE!

Is it possible to win first place in the library quiz with Lizzy (Step 1 DLC)

Yep, it is! Someone made a guide for the answers HERE (it’s also on Steam). We probably shouldn’t have required a perfect score to win a children quiz, but oh well, haha.

Hello!

In the future (in step 4) can you marry Cove even if you are friends? I would love to have a platonic wedding with him!

I’m afraid not. As much as he cares for the MC when they’re besties, Cove would only really want an official marriage if it’s based on romance.

Hello! I bumped into Our Life randomly last month, and it is one of the best coincidences I have ever laid on. I love how the choices and little details in the story changes throughout the game, and I'm excited to keep supporting you! I'm absolutely in love with Cove and would like to ask what keeps him to be especially interested in the MC? Other than how you can choose what fondness level you have with him, what ultimately leads him to be in sync with us? Sorry if it's a little much & thank u!

Cove likes the MC because, regardless of the different personality traits you can give the MC, they meet him on his level, listen to him, understand him (even if you’re indifferent and not really close the MC still gets where he’s coming from), and if you’re fond/crush/love than you’re there for him. He finds the MC someone he can respect, trust, and, if they’re close, feel safe with. I’m glad you enjoyed the game!

hi there! for xoxo droplets i see the that female pronouns are used in the description, in the actual game can you change the pronouns or are they stuck as female? i'm aware the game is free, but i have a bad habit of buying dlc's before playing the game so it would be helpful to know before i spend money on it. if anything i'll save that money for more our life dlcs when they come out :D

XOXO Droplets does have a set MC. It’s the story of a specific person rather than a game about making your own story. All of our games prior to Our Life were about exploring MCs that were fully fleshed out people in their own right, so you can’t get the OL experience from what we did before. But we do plan to do more custom-style MCs going forward from here!

For the our life nsfw dlc, will you have to be in the patron to have it or will there be another way for people who really support the game but can't pay to get it?

I’m afraid not. We might put it up for sale somewhere other than Patreon someday (though never on Steam or Itch) since we know not everyone can use that site, but it will still cost money on any other hosting page we use. It’s unfortunately not a piece of content we can give away for free.

Hello! I finally got to play Xoxo Blood Droplets and it mentioned about a DLC coming out soon. Is it already out or are you still planning it?

We are still planning to finish it when we can, we just had to put it on hold because 2020 was a tough year and we needed to put all our focus on Our Life. There’s some of the extra DLC stories available for beta testing on the Patreon.

Is there a link to the soundtrack for Xoxo Blood Droplets? I really like the music in this game!

That’s not available yet, but we’ll probably put it up for sale once the rest of the stories are done.

Would there be any chance for XOXO Droplets OSTs to be released in the future? (Please take my money-)

We might! There are some things we wanna do and fix before we really start advertising XOXO Droplets things again, but hopefully it all comes together.

Why does Cove dislike Shiloh so much despite all of Shiloh's efforts to get along? I can understand his dislike for Lizzie, but why Shiloh?

They met under bad terms (with an arranged play date he had no choice in), Shiloh’s sort of pushy himself when it comes to trying to get along, and Cove thinks he’s just kind of unusual in how he interacts/reacts with people. They don’t click, basically.

Is there a way to have your character be a tsundere? And have Cove toughened up a bit due to that? Sorry if the is a stupid question! ^^;

Maybe? The options in the game aren’t based on those types of personality tropes and I don’t know them well enough to say if you can accurately find a way to make it work with the available options. But it’s not a stupid question, I’m sure plenty of other people have considered something similar c:

do voiced names work only with their exact spelling? cause my mc is called Sophia and one of the voiced names is Soffia so i was wondering but if only works like that it's fine (sorry if i made any mistakes, english isn't my first language)

“Voice” and “text” are separate! You can pick the “voice” you want and then type in whatever “text” you prefer. And your English is really good.

Will OL:NF be based on a season/break like the first game? Or some other type of setting?

Our Life: Now & Forever takes place over the full course of Autumn. So, the start of school and then into the fall holiday season type of time period.

Will we ever see a jealous cove😭😭 please im begging u-

Only in small ways, really. Sadly, I’m just not someone who enjoys jealousy in stories and therefore I don’t know how to implement it in a way that feels enjoyable. Maybe I’ll figure out a angle I can work with in future projects.

Do you have any plans with Our Life once step 4 has been released along with step 3's DLCs?

After the Step 3 DLCs and Step 4 we’ll be releasing the Cove wedding DLC, the Derek romance DLC, and then the Baxter romance DLC. The project will likely be considered fully complete at that point.

Hello, I just needed to first of all sat how amazed I was when I discovered this game. I thought I would be disappointed by the lack of love interests, but you worked so hard to make sure Cove is the Best Boy for so many different people!! It really has been my comfort game for a while now, and I think all the different choices you allow make it the best romance game I’ve played in my life. The only problem is now my expectations for love are Cove level, and no one can live up to that. You’ve put so much consideration to make this game super inclusive and I think it’s amazing. If I can ask, for the exclusive NSFW Patreon dlc, will it only be available for the month it comes out? Or could I become a patron months later and still be able to download it. I just don’t have a job right now otherwise I would LOVE to subscribe to your Patreon and definitely will once I have the money again!! Thank you so so much for making such a lovely game that’s brought me so much joy.

Hiya! I'm so sorry for sounding like a complete degenerate for asking, but will the nsfw moment on patreon still be available even if i'm not a patron of the month it comes out? (e.g. i didnt pay/join the necessary tier before the moment is released) Thank you for your hard work on OL, I really connected with Cove in a way I never anticipated.

Thank you very much for such kind words! The Patreon DLC will be up for download on the Patreon indefinitely once it’s done. Just like the normal DLCs, you can pay to get it whenever you like but it won’t be up for sale until it’s finished. So take all the time you need.

Sorry to bother you guys, but there was an earlier ask detailing the OL LI's love languages and I was just wondering- Would that be for them personally, as in what they do, or the love language they enjoy receiving the most? Because I know for some people it's different for both on giving and receiving and was a bit confused, haha. Sorry for the trouble, your games are really nice!

For Cove and Derek it’s what they like to receive and what they give. For Baxter, it’s what he likes to get. What he gives is tailored to his partner. He’s flexible that way~ And it’s no trouble.

asking (and also fanning... fanboying? fangirling? fanpersoning? screw it- from a distance) anonymously because my confidence is nonexistent.

will you be doing a kickstarter for our life: now and forever? i know it's probably been asked and mentioned before, but will you be doing a kickstarter akin to the one done for our life: beginnings and always? if so, will you be doing similar tier rewards? (if you guys do so, i will [politely] throw my money at you).

now, to the fan.. personing? FAN. uhm. to the part where this anonymous agender idiot will begin to act as the fan they are.

THE GAME IS SO. SO NICE. IT'S CUSTOMIZABLE. I'M REALLY HAPPY ABOUT THAT PART. AAAAA I ALSO ENJOY THAT YOU GAVE US THE OPTION TO JUST STAY BEST FRIENDS OR SOMETHING A8DBAIHEW- AND YOU INCLUDED AROS AND ACES IN THAT SEXUALITY CHOOSING PART- aaaAAA AND YOU MADE ELIZABETH FILIPINO- THANK YOU SO SO MUCH FOR CREATING SUCH AN INCLUSIVE GAME!!!

to summarize; will you be doing a kickstarter? and thank you for creating such a nice game. i, and likely the majority if not all of those who have played the game, am thankful.

Aw, thanks <3! I’m so happy it was such a nice experience for you. We are planning on having a Kickstarter for Our Life: Now & Forever. It’ll have similar rewards to the Our Life: O&A Kickstarter, but some changes will have to be made. Like, we’ll definitely need to increase the rate for getting a voiced name. Originally it was $3USD, which was super low for how much work it really took to add in a customized piece of voice acting, aha. Live and learn.

So sorry if you've already answered this, I looked but I couldn't find anything. Is the 18+ DLC coming out alongside the Step 3 DLC, or do they have different development timelines entirely? I'm so excited for all the DLC coming out in the future, and even though the release dates aren't out, I'm already counting down the days. :)

They have different development times and will come out separately. Despite taking place in the same Step period, they’re disconnected pieces of content and making progress on one doesn’t mean the other is closer to being finished. The normal Step 3 DLC is releasing first. It’s great to hear you’re looking forward to them!

Hey!! I'm absolutely LOVING Our Life! I have been pondering on one question though, what's Cove's ethnicity, if there is a set one? Or is it something we can Headcanon?

hi hi! i wanted to say first of all that i absolutely adore our life. it's one of my favourite games of 2020, and i think it was just the perfect dose of positivity we all needed, even if you didn't intend to release it during such a hectic year lol! secondly, i wanted to say: if it's alright to ask, what ethnicity is cove? :-0 and what about his parents? i was just curious about it ^^)/ thank you!!

Cove’s mom, Kyra, is white. But his dad’s, Cliff’s, race doesn’t come up and players are able to headcanon it. So Cove is half white and half whatever you prefer Cliff to be!

hello! there was a post on the patreon where you can run your fingers down cove's chest in errands - how do you get that scene? ♥

That was an old mistake on my part- you can only get that scene in the Ending rather Errands. You have to leave the big family dinner at the restaurant to go into the car, be dating Cove for a while, have Cove come see you there, and then mention using your hands when Cove makes a joke about hands.

in baxter’s dlc, is there any point where you can tell him about the previous renters of the condo?

You can talk to him about that in the normal Step 3 DLC!

—– —– —– —–

Thank you for all the interest in our games everybody :D

We released a new FAQ! It answers common questions and we’ll keep adding more to it. Please check there before sending an ask. FAQ Also, if you prefer to just see the main posts without all the asks/reblogs, feel free to follow our side account instead: GB Patch Updates Blog

#our life #Our Life Beginnings & Always #Our Life: Now & Forever #ask #ourlifeba #ourlifenf #gb patch #gb patch games #long post

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nora-theteawriter · 4 years

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30-day Writeblr Challenge Day 4

Who is your favorite character from your main WIP?

Oh gosh, favorite character? That’s so hard to choose, I love them all! I’ll have to be more specific so I’ll talk about the character whose backstory has been the most interesting to develop, the character whose arc is the most interesting to write, and the character who I would personally get along with the best.

Best backstory: Hestia Thornheart.

Hestia began, like most of my characters, very simple. But then I thought about her past with teaching half-witches, and that really got the ball rolling. It began with the unhappy fate of her best friend only a few years ago, then the family stuff. Omigod the family stuff. I figured out a lot of it during a literature class when I was supposed to be paying attention. To get into it too much would spoil a lot, but Hestia basically had a neglectful father, an absent (dead?) mother, and a complicated relationship with her older half-sister.

Best Arc: Foxglove.

Best arc as in the one that has the most angst and the one I’m still figuring out to some degree. A lot of Foxglove’s arc was initially inspired by the song from Tangled: The Series “Ready As I’ll Ever Be”. She also has major abandonment issues, and kinda puts all her hope in meeting her familiar. Then, shit hits the fan in the second book, and she makes some bad decisions. Again, it’s literally all spoilers, so I can’t say much, but there’s a lot of pain, hurting others, learning, and finally therapy and a hopeful future.

Who I’d like the most: Maya Orozco.

Maya (similar to Sam), is very fun, outgoing, and kind. She’s super warm and tries to see the best in everyone, which I feel like I could learn from if I were friends with her. She also loves fashion and sewing, something I enjoy as a hobby, so we’d be able to geek about that together. I think the only place where we would be most likely to clash is that she’s constantly stressed (even when she tried to hide it), which I’m not good at dealing with or helping with. Maybe I’d make her some tea.

#writeblr community #chazzawrites challenge #day 4

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manycoloredkingdom · 4 years

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I recently was asked to be the Storyteller for a friend's kids. It took us a while to settle on a good setting. Partly because I'm really picky and partly because, that first game is important.

So I started out looking at the Scion setting and we were going to do that but omigod I hated the mythology they had set up. Aside from it being seriously pale, shall we say, they got a lot of different gods and themes completely wrong.

I dropped Scion pretty fast.

Then I looked at Exalted and, personally, I love it. I was getting ready to do a weird cross between Avatar: The Last Airbender and Mortal Kombat (so high power magic, deadly fights and multiple planes of existence). But the world confused the kids.

And that first game is so important.

So I went back to the drawing board and started going through the World of Darkness settings. I discarded the Chronicles of Darkness as being maybe a little too dark for kids (and I stress "maybe") and started thinking. The game needed the following:

A world the kids can relate to fairly easily.

High magic.

Potential for epic shenanigans.

And I found myself smiling at my copy of Changeling The Dreaming 20th Anniversary. So I've spent about two months designing the Freeholds and power structure, I've gotten just a smidge of a story ready (I learned long ago not to get too crazy in plotting in advance).

So I figured that I would get set up on here just to keep some character notes, location descriptions, and maybe meet some CtD players and storytellers with helpful hints.

#fae #gaming #changeling the dreaming #world of darkness #tanith lee #charles de lint

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ellaofoakhill · 4 years

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DnD Highlights

So I started a campaign with my brother yesterday. It’s just the two of us, with a party of 4, so he controls 2 characters, and along with my duties as DM, I control 2 other characters in the party.

The roster:

Cletus, a hill-dwarf rogue with severe social anxiety; decided to become a rogue so no one would pay him any mind. Is the “legs” in his kids-in-a-trenchcoat arrangement with Rebound. Controlled by my brother.

Rebound, a forest gnome sorcerer who fell in a portal thousands of years ago, became a quasi-divine entity, and got spat back out a portal in the last year or so; unsure whether he is or is not part of that entity any longer. Is the “head” in his trenchcoat arrangement with Cletus. Controlled by my brother.

Helen, a half-giant bannerman (my own homebrew class) picking up a side job to help make ends meet; work has been a little light from her liege, so she’s hurting a bit financially. Has two warhorses, Rosy and Perkins, who pull her around in a chariot because she can’t afford an elephant.

Nick, a sloth-person witch (again, my homebrew class), reasons unclear about taking the job. Brews lots of potions, most hallucinogenic, some useful. Likes to travel.

Adventure Summary:

As their first job with the Planar Express delivery company, the quartet are delivering an extremely non-fragile, yet extremely valuable package to Crackling Hill, the home of an old friend and long-time customer of the Professors who own Planar Express, on the shore of Heartscar Lake, just beyond the Forest of Screaming Death. The Professor emphatically assures them many times that the probability of death is very low, according to some statistics she read in the last ten years.

Highlights so far:

The Professor is a blatant Entrapta insert; I make no apologies, she is a delight to play.

Her oil-stained t-shirt reads “wanted for breaking the first law of thermodynamics”

She refuses to divulge her name, which prompts Rebound to call her Professor Bruce.

“Beware of Mongoose”

“Feed the oviraptor at your own risk”

The cart most of the group travels in is sentient

Nick gives Rebound a drop of one of her potions while they travel. This takes him back to the days when the wonders and horrors of the universe were driving him insane; good times, good times

Numerous slips on my part in referring to Rebound and Cletus as “guys” instead of “guy”; get it together, man!

Helen carrying Nick over her shoulder, on the end of Nick’s staff like a hobo bindle

The group falls for a pit trap, and gets attacked by an ogre right out of the gate; I didn’t mean to roll a deadly encounter, guys! Guy, I meant guy!

Helen charges in her chariot, lance levelled at the ogre. Her attack modifier is +7.

She rolls a 2 and completely whiffs it.

Her horses charge right past; should I have made an Animal Handling check, I should’ve made an Animal Handling check

Ogre-boy (or girl, I never asked) makes opportunity attack; Helen has an AC of 21.

1-HIT KO! THE TANK IS DOWN OMIGOD WHATDOIDO???!!!

Rebound casts a mean Witch Bolt. Literally, it splits his finger into two prongs like a tazer before it arcs to the ogre #wildmagic’sabitch

Nick casts Wall of Thorns with her Staff of the Woodlands (maybe a bit OP for 1st-level characters? Maybe, Maybe)

Ogre rolls a Dex save to avoid the thorns; for any non-DnD fans, ogres are pretty not agile

NAT F%$@*& 20!

Still almost bloodied, though, and pulls a Benny (”Looks like you’re on the wrong side of the THORN WALL!”)

Does the ogre thing and ploughs right through the wall, taking a heap more damage; he’s looking like he took a bath in a paper shredder

CLETUS DOWN! LEGS DOWN LEGS DOWN!

WITCH BOLT! *rolls 3 damage* GODDAMNIT!

Nick rolls 20 damage with Chromatic Orb and melts ogre’s face and starts handing out homebrewed healing potions (has cemented her place in canon as resident badass)

Rebound swallows half of healing potion and (I shit you not) spits rest into Cletus’s unconscious mouth

EEEEEEEWWWWWWWWW

SHORT REST!

#dnd highlights #dnd #dnd 5e #d&d #d&d 5e #my homebrew #my homebrew adventure #that went south so fast and so hard

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whatevenismyaestheticidk · 4 years

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Things I’ve heard high schoolers say pt 2

Person 1: But air doesn’t splash Person 2: How do we know that, Im splashing the air right now.

Person: Prove me wrong. Prove fish can’t see air.

Person: I think you underestimate just how poor I am.

Person: I just invented a new thing. No Romo. Like no homo but with romance cause I’m lonely. Get it?

Person: So yah I burned my hair cooking ramen.

Person: Well I figured he wasn’t an adopted iguana.

Person: Say it. You know god is watching.

Person 1 upon heading the news of George Bush’s death: Wait he’s still alive? Person 2: No he’s dead that’s the point.

Person: I got it. *five second pause* no I don’t got it.

Person 1: My name is (name), but you can call me yours. Person 2: Okay nice to meet you yours.

Person: Don’t drink it all fool.

Person: Bruh you could literally turn in a gay fanfic and he’d give it an A.

Person: Bruh, what is this triangular accusation?

Person 1:It’s call physics. Person 2: Yah but I don’t take Physics hence they should not apply to me.

Person 1: Discreet. Person 2: No discr-yeet *dabs*

Person 1: Be impressed with my ability to bull shit. Person 2: I mean, it’s gotten you this far.

Person: Why do I feel like finals are lowkey Russian roulette? Like okay I made it through most of them but I still have a few pulls of the trigger to go and one of them might get me.

Person 1: Murder. Just do it. Person 2: I didn’t know that nike was sponsoring murder.

Person: How do mermaids reproduce if they’re just like conjoined legs?

Person 1: Frozen Yogurt Person 2: Fro yo Person 1: Frozen YOgUrt Person 2: Fro Yo Person 1: FROZEN YOGURT

Person: All I have to do to commit suicide is jump from my parents expectations to my grades.

Person 1: I mean yah I cheated on that test. Person 2: Man your love life it DOOMED!

Person: I was seeing if I was tripophobic by repeatedly stabbing my finger with my pen.

Person: You do know that crickets exist during the day right?

Person 1: Hey (person 2), we’re friends right? Person 2: ….. What do you want. Person 1: You know, that sandwich looks real good. *person 2 hand them the sandwich* OMIGOD THANK YOU SO MUCH I LOVE YOU!

Person: Omigod (person’s name) is going through puberty!

Person: If you pulled my ear I would have ripped out your nostril.”

Person 1: She’s attacking me! Person 2: No, he’s beating a woman, that’s not polite.

Person 1: I know many things! Person 2: like what? Person 1: ..... Person 2: my point.

Person: My shoes will be sparkly red stilettos. Fight me Dorothy.

Person: umm hello Christmas miracle even though I’m not Christian. Come at me 15 years from now!

Person 1: you’d make a really good baldie Person 2: yah you have a really rest head shape

Person: you know teletubbies? Yah that but compressed.

Person 1: I mean how will you become American? Person 2: paint me white, I’ll get a passport.

Person 1: I’m so funny. Person 3: it’s hard not to be when your life is a joke.

Person 1: So I’ve decided that my new career choice is to make school specific memes Person 2: That's Plan A? Yeash... at least Plan B lands you some cash

Person: I’m so small and bitter I’m like a human expresso

Person: You know what I’d name a baby kangaroo if I had one? David Jowie.

Person: I’m just saying that the orange red glitter crayon is you.

Person: I feel like a 1940’s schoolgirl who goes to an all girl finishing school where embroidery is a required class.

Person: I started high school with straight A’s, now I’m not even straight.

Person: Yeah, I’d swear by comic sans.

Person: (Persons name)stop being depressy and you’ll be more sucessy

Person: You can totally be insecure and self absorbed at the same time.

Person 1: Are you kids okay? Person 2: Besides crippling depression yeah.

Person: I don’t know it’s just giving me pig vibes.

Person: What drugs where the animators for “Pink Elephants on Parade” on?

Person: long story short I make like a semi hot guy.

Person: If I where pregnant id just be like 'you put this thing inside of me, you're helping me until it's out.'

Person: These girls asked me what type of guys I like and being the simple gay I am, I completely blanked

Person 1: why do you read on your phone if you get carsick at 20 minutes? Person 2:Because it works for the first 19 minutes.

Person: Three Indians, a Thai, a Colombian, and an American walk into a bar. Just kidding they aren't old enough to drink. Three Indians, a Thai, a Colombian, and an American walk into a school cafeteria...

Person: I can't do alcohol cause I'm not of age but I can do drugs because they're illegal for everyone.

Person 1: you can't have a breakdown, it's the third day of school. Person 2:... so?

*Group of kids singing Bohemian Rhapsody in twelve different keys* Person: For gods sake choose a key!

Person: For gods sake that was complicated. You didn't need to send out a survey to see which episode of which season of which show to watch.

Person: Honestly I'd chose stab over dab any day.

Person 1: She said she'd throw me out of the window. Person 2: She never did. Person 1: She never did.

Person: What language is this? *pause* Oh wait it's English.

Person 1: I mean it's pretty hit or miss. Person 2 from across the courtyard: I guess they never miss, huh?

Person: Chu-chu bitch. I’m a train.

Person after loosing game of kahoots: I’m going to ka-shoot myself.

Person: So basically I need to learn Hungarian for a song.

Person: No one screams their sneeze, its not human

Person: If I where a mosquito I would bite you and you’d get malaria and die.

Person: That tide pod aesthetic.

Person: No I loved Barney, Barney was my bo.

Person: If I where my own boyfriend I’d dump me.

Person: It's already a really good song but then it's dubstep so it's extra good.

Person: No one is EVER to old for coolmathgames.com

Person 1: Why are you using a poon? Person 2:….. Person 1: WHY ARE YOU USING A POON?!

Person 1: I’ve been blonde for 16 years. Person 2: So what? I’ve been brown for 16 years and you don’t see me coloring myself white!

Person: Yes. Scrape the sweat off my hand.

Person: No one cares about a square cube of water.

Person: We’re melanin intoxicated.

Person: Well my life may be a mess, but at least I’m not doing drugs. Yet.

Person: Negative 13 out of 10, do not recommend.

Person: Yah that’s gunna have to be a no from me.

Person: Fool me once......fool me twice.......fool me as many times as you want, my first name is dumbass.

Person 1: Ya know, I think the Americans have the order of dates right JUST BECAUSE you can do 4/20/2019. Person 2: Okay but they’re still wrong though.

Person with AirPods: And where are YOUR AirPods? Thats what I thought you broke bitches.

Person: Salem witch trials bitches.

Person: La Croix, the AirPods of the soda world.

Person: Who needs a thermometer when you have… your hands!?

Person 1: It’s time to bring back SEXY MASQUERADE BALLS Person 2: It really is. I need an excuse to wear an incredibly uncomfortable dress that's so big I can't even walk through doorways. Person 1: And to wear a swan inspired mask that doesn’t cover enough of my face to deem myself totally anonymous enough to be half as bold and daring as i plan on acting that night but everyone else is on board we’ll all just forget about it the next day. Person 2: That's to specific for you to have made up on the spot, you've thought about this.

Person: It was lady Macbeth that drugged and made the guards drunk, without her Macbeth would just be like “I guess I’ll stab him???” Person: It’s like playing where’s Waldo but the page is India and I’m Waldo.3Person: Why are there so many frowny faces everywhere?

Person: This group chat is weird. It's either homework, deep philosophical conversations, or memes, there's no in between.

Person 1: Honestly, where DID it come from Person 2: The endless abyss that is the internet.

Person: Are you really blaming our generational depression on Jake Paul?

Person 1: Oh. My. God. Guys. Keep your carbon dioxide away from my computer. Person 2: But sharing is caring. Person 1: But my computer doesn’t need this kinda of negativity in its life right now.

Person: Sweetie, if you think I’m going to stop wearing my favorite dress just because you kissed me in it, you are dead wrong.

Person with a metal straw: I don't drink broke.

Person: My whole life has become that sock on the floor. It's just there. When did life screw us over and then just ex? I’m just gonna write a book, and the last sentence will be life screwed them over and then exed. A story of the main character who gets screwed over, so I can get that 'it be like that sometimes' reaction.

Person in group chat: Positivity- I will make you feel better about being an idiot. Self Doubt- I will highlight all of your mistakes and set low standards for you so you'll never be disappointed. Me to Self Doubt- I'm listening...

Person 1: Sadly the disappointment never goes away... Person 2: Man we're a sad lot this time of year.

Person 1:It’s almost my favorite time of the year Person 2:Ahh yes. Singles awareness day, also known as chocolate sales at Walgreens eve, also known as... Valentine's Day. Person 1:... Oh... I meant rainy season.

Person: Being antivax is like swimming in shark infested waters because you're afraid the bridge could break lmao.

Person: I learned how eat a kumquat this weekend.

Person: It’s so sticky. It’s like clear cheese.

Person: Hamburger helper? More like hamburger help me pass this class.

Person 1: So I slipped on a grape… Person 2: You got K.O.’ed by a grape (person’s name), how does it feel.

Person 1: Look at me, I’m fine. Person 2: Well how many drugs did you take. Person 1: Several.

Person 1: Did you just say it’s ALMOST FEBRUARY? Person 2: Yes, it’s January 72nd.

Person: I knew your comedic standards where low, but poop jokes? Really?

Person: What? So are you insinuating the fact that reliablest isn't a word?

Person 1: [bitter old man voice] back in my day, tik tok was a kesha song. Person 2: Back in my day we had wires attached to our AirPods.

Person: There's a reason rainbows aren't straight. Just saying.

Person reading sheet music and seeing mf crescendo: I forgot that mezzo forte was a thing for a second so I thought it said mother fucker as a crescendo but mood

Person: He looks like a fine piece of toasted white bread.

Person: If life hasn't given me a fist bump by now, why should I give life one?

Person: we all died in 2012 this is hell.

Person 1: Who wants a pamphlet on condoms? Person 2: Why do you have this? Do you collect them? Person 1: Yah it’s my hobby. I have this one, one on HIV and one on teenage pregnancy.

Person: We live a society where reading about assassins and gory details is a hobby.

Person: Stop breathing so loudly on my thumb!

Person 1: I’m the comic relief. Person 2: For what? Person 1: Myself.

Person1: Who’s your valentine this year? Person 2: Me, myself and I. Person 1: Wow three valentines, you really can’t keep them away can you?

Person: Why do women gotta get their period, why not men. I wish I was born a seahorse.

Person 1: No we can’t all fit, her car is smol. Like you. Person 2: Says you miss 5 foot nothing lmao. Person 1: Hey we’re the same hight so says you miss 5 foot nothing.

Person: No, that’s cheating no emotionally disabling people.

Person 1: Why is it that we’re talking about someone burning eggs on two different group chats. Person 2: Hey I didn’t burn them. Person 3: Cause why not?

Person 1: That’s not how an Australian accent works. Person 2: This is why I’m not Australian, I don’t have the koala-fications.

Person 1: I’m Indian, numbers run through my blood. Person 2: That’s like saying I’m going to marry my cousin just because I’m white.

Person: So I ate veggies and hummus for lunch but then I counterbalanced it by eating a spoon full of straight Nutella.

Person: Seagulls, California Pigeons, what’s the difference?

Person 1: I humbly apologize and request your forgiveness. Person 2: I humbly decline your request for forgiveness.

Person: I think I’m permanently stuck somewhere between “If you mess with me I’ll fight” and “If you mess with me I’ll cry.”

Person 1: It was implied! Person 2: What’s implied is your inability to accept that fact that I’m right!

Person 1: I got lazy because I was eating Pringles. Person 2: She values Pringles more than me.

Person: Yo, you be the crazy ex girls they be talking about in memes.

Person: I swear (persons name) if I hooked up with squidward in your dream your subconscious and I need to have a little talk.

Person: You get to die, and you get to die! Everybody gets to die!

Person: How do you just add a child?

Person 1: Look at this ink based pencil. Person 2: A pen?  Person 1: This egg is all broken. Person 2: It’s like you then, you both broke under the pressure.

Lakshmi: Don’t force your opinion, voice it.

Person 1: If I where a fruit, which one would I be? Person 2: Sushi. Person 1:… Sushi isn’t a fruit.

Person: I mean it’s not straight up “Yo come here I’m gunna kill you.”

Person: Bye gays, bye (other girls name).

Person 1: No (person B) stop. Just shut up. You’re making me loose brain cells. Person 2: But… Person 1: No. Just no.

Person: Stop. That is non-consensual pizza eating.

Person 1: Cheese is not a vegetable! Person 2: Well it’s not a meat either! Person 3: Guys… It’s dairy.

Person: Idiots have priority over just regular dumb people

Person: God melted the polar ice caps just to make it rain for Noah then refroze them. I don’t know (kids name) I’m not god!

Person: You and I will go out, and leave them to their raw fish rolled in sea salad.

Person: Does anyone else get really energized when they change their room? Just me? Okay.

Person: I hope you know I will diss you guys to the end of the earth.

Person: Bruh talk to (person’s name) I don’t know sh… *notices teacher looking at her*…niahhh.

Person 1: The thing is, I don’t want to be 80 that’s rough. Person 2: Then just die at 50.

Person: You’d be scrambled eggs with hair.

Person: Seeing you two fighting, it’s like seeing a piece of light fighting a black hole.

Teacher: What can you tell me about probability? Student 1: I hate it. Student 2: Dont you mean you? Student 1: Yes both.

Person: My brain has the dumb I’m sorry

Person 1: If my first word was no, I’m assuming that’s foreshadowing for them my family disowns me after I renounce religion and systemic abuse. Person 2: Or…. You just need to make sure your last word is yes. Person 1: Yes to what though? Person 2: ‘Are you dying?’ Yes.’ Pessimism, just your style. Person 1: That’s true.

Person: My parents don’t message me, they’re the type of people who CALL. Where did I get my social anxiety from??

Person: Well guys it's been great knowing you I’m just going to drown now.

Person: I figured out a new diet regime, it’s called sleeping until noon and just not eating breakfast.

Person: The f on my birth certificate was the doctor paying their respects.

Person: Chocolates with raspberry filling are the sole reason I’m still alive.

Person 1: Isn’t Latin a dead language? Person 2: You’re a dead language!

Person: Hydrate before you diedrate.

Person 1: you have a son named Spider-Man? Person 2: what noooo! Person 3: well don’t expose her!

Person: That awkward moment when you just really don’t care about people.

Person 1: (Person 2) and I will be over here with my virgin margarita and her water. Person 2: Hey! I want apple juice! Person 3: Why are you not drinking (Person 1)? Person 2: Because she’s to single, and also she’d strip. Person 1: Woahh! How dare you assume that I’m not drinking because I’m to single?

Person 1: Ya know, I think I’m going to have to jazz hands my way through hell. Person 2: All of us will.

Person: Brown town children, y’all find someone in India?

Person 1: Wow you have the best backup singers. Person 2: I only hire the best, at least 5 stars in yelp. Person 1: Well good because that’s the sound they’re making.

Person: The cold kills everything, it’s like my heart.

Person 1: Remember the rolls I brought to school last year that I used to give you? The ones with paneer and the really good spices? Person 2: Yah? Person 1: This is not at all the same thing.

Person 1: What’s stevia? Person 2: It’s like sugar but no.

Person 1: Yeetus Skelettus. Person 2: Fetus Deletes? Honey, that’s called abortion.

Person: Anything for you. That’s what you said. Anything for you. But when I ask for just one bite of your pasta? No!

Person 1: I've written 1,300 words and don’t have a thesis statement or topic question Person 2: Yeah, you need to figure that out.

Person 1: you know I had a dream that you where in a romantic relationship with a toaster. Person 2: wasn’t that your relationship with (ex’s name)? Person 1: you’d have more chemistry with a toaster.

Person: Can people read colors? Cause I am ooo.

Person: It’s like hands but medusa

Person: You look like a cardboard jellyfish that’s brown

Person 1: Two of us like boys. Person 2: We all like boys. Person 1: Two of us like ONLY boys.

Person: you’re like a reverse plant. You convert oxygen into carbon dioxide.

Person: Shhhhh. I’m not in physics, let me be dumb in peace.

Person: Why are you laying down like some greek god, get up you brown child.

Person 1: Do all of you just think you’re going to be single? Person 2: I already am why not keep the streak going to get a high score?

Person: and now cracks of light are coming out from around the sides like some sort of computer Jesus!

People 1 and 2: Rock Paper Scissors Person 3: shoot me please.

Person 1: not since 9/11 you can’t. Person 2: dang. You just tossed your whole country just to prove a point. I’ve never been so proud.

Person 1: what is an angle of depression? Person 2: it’s my life. Person 1: no it’s you because it’s not straight.

Person: Boom. Lesbians.

Person 1: Well what if two rocks just washed up at the same time and humans. Person 2: Evolution.

Person: Watermelon isn’t good anymore, I swear its just water with food coloring.

Person: You being dumb makes me want to correct you, sos too being dumb cause I’m on vocal rest.

Person: well (persons name) who have you a mouth?

Person: Teachers that grade late work deserve all the love and cookies and cake in the world.

Person 1: honestly I just want to die right now. Person 2: same. Literally same.

Person: I just feel like a single molecule lost in space.

Person: who’s gunna stop me? God? Damn him to hell.

Person: the line is not actually straight it’s like (students name)

Person 1: It’s your favorite sleep deprived gay. Person 2: But I’m my favorite sleep deprived gay. Self love. Person 1: We Stan.

Person 1: Why do you have a tool? Person 2: Because my hair is moist.

Person: eating lead was an otherworldly experience

Person 1: I have everything stolen from me 2: at least you have the tiniest bit of dignity left 3: what dignity? 1: exactly

Person 1:( holding up katsup) does this go on salad?

Person:I’m turning red! Me! A brown girl!

Person: I’m not trying argue that we should date, I’m just saying.

Person 1: what’s your biggest turn on? Person2 : a light switch Person 2: or then leaving.

Person 1: what is the most attractive retire on someone Person 2: my own face

Person: you’d be that one bar do white chocolate that just sits in the feidge because no one wants it

Person: that’s like saying I’d rather see your shirt than your face.

Person: why would I shut up when I can shut (kids name) down

Person: Subtle. Gay. Vibes. I’m telling you.

Person: just watch me write my ee on all the reasons why nick caraway is gay. Just watch me.

Person: Why are you stereotyping. What if the body doesn’t want trucks, what if he wants to be a fairy.

Person: being ace is basically just eww no but like forever.

Person: Stop trying to science your way out of being wrong.

Person: even if you did ask me out I’d still say no so then you’d even be rejected by a trash can

Person 1: you can’t read cheese color. Person 2: yellow?

Person 1: Think about it like you’re brown Person 2: She is brown Person 1: Then act like it

Person: You’re not an ugly frog, you’re a beautiful human being. Person: I am. Very very dumb. And also. Bisexual.

Person: I was thinking of something smart but then I forgot what it was.

Person: I want to skip the crush phase and just make out with someone.

Person 1: The only way to get into the Holland family is to marry in through Paddy. Person 2: (Person 1’s name) this isn’t the royal family.

Person: Omigod you looked like the human version of squid ward.

Person: I want to be smart. Where can I learn smart stuff?

Person: But plant the seed and smoke the weed and chop the cane.

Peeeson 1: that is the definition of meter? Person 2: about 3 feet. Person 1: okay thanks America

Person 1: who’s Tom Holland? Person 2: Spider-Man you uncultured swine!!

Person: I am not a children

Person: Ohh dang yeah forgot chickens existed for a while

Person: Hey! Don’t narrate my water!

Person: I don’t read water.

Person: Think of it as a relationship. If you and your ex break up they are salty but you profit because you wanted to end it but if you end it weak, then y’all will argue back and forth and get nowhere with ending it while still exchanging insults.

Person: You know those really sexual mattress adverts?

Person: Oh please, you have the sexual appeal of an easy bake oven.

Person 1: weed is a gate way drug Person 2: YOURE A GATEWAY DRUG!

Person: (first, middle, last name), I love you to the end of the earth. But you are a daft child.

Person 1: She’s like that type of girl. She’s the long paragraph white girl. Person 2: Well that’s a niche if I’ve even seen one.

Person 1: swing you two fight is like watching two ants fight. Person 2: you friking piece of bacteria!

Person: I’m just an intellectual.

Person: I will murder your face off.

Person: that’s like a kilometer tall.

Person: It’s weird when I pet you horizontally.

Person: to be honest I thought those were rocks in a jar for the longest time. Turns out they weren’t.

Person: does she have a brother or gay tendencies

Person: I’m going to slap your hand like it’s a fricking spider.

Person: I like your face better blurry.

Person: every night at about midnight someone starts googling astrology

Person: I will kick you. I will murder your soul.

Person 1: I’m just going to marry a millionaire. Person 2: Where are you gunna finds a millionaire in this economy?

Person: Welcome to my tea party, there isn’t any tea to drink, but we have a lot of it to spill.

Person: Yah, it was something about sex or something.

Person: You’re all uncultured swines.

Person: I’m about as straight as a sine curve.

Person 1: They’re not Oreo’s you dumb head Person 2: I know that dumber head. Person 3 :Shut up dumbest heads

Person: As an ex foetus i can say with authority that if my mother had aborted me i wouldn't have known nor would i have given a fuck

Person: I’ve just accepted I’m going to fail this test. I’ve gone through the 5 stages of grief already.

Person: Yes I’m blind that’s why I need glasses fool.

Person: what the fork do you want you little son of a biscuit.

Person: Anyway now I’m taking Tylenol PM and I’m going to actually sleep tonight that’ll be fun.

Person: I need all the hoodies. ALL OF THEM.

2 notes · View notes

ashtheshortstack · 5 years

Text

Garlic in the Cauldron - Ch 4

Garlic in the Cauldron

Adrien Agreste learned from a young age that witches were the enemies to vampires. He was taught to kill on sight, drink them dry, and never look back… however, meeting a witch named Marinette threw his entire world off balance.

Ch 4 - Witching Hour

Read on ao3

<-Previous Chapter/Next Chapter –>

Marinette flew on her broom as quickly as she could. She had to get home before her parents went to her room. If they checked on her and she wasn’t there then her ass would be doomed. They’d keep her under close surveillance and that was the last thing she wanted.

To her relief, when she opened her trap door, it was clear her parents hadn’t been there yet. She climbed down the ladder, throwing on her pajamas. Maybe, she could get a little more sleep before they came to wake her. Marinette rested in her bed, snuggling into the covers.

Tikki hovered over her, making the witch glance up at the familiar. The creature looked extremely guilty.

She gave her a smile. “Tikki, it’s okay. Don’t feel bad.”

“I shouldn’t have let you sleep out there. I just… I fell asleep. I didn’t mean to. When Plagg woke me up, I was furious with myself.”

Marinette shook her head. “It’s okay. I promise.”

Her familiar eyed her. Her paws went together. “This isn’t about ‘research’ anymore, is it? You’re falling for him.”

Feeling the warm on her cheeks, she glanced away shyly. “I… I didn’t mean to.”

Tikki gave a sympathetic smile. “It’s okay.”

“R-Really? You aren’t mad at me?”

“It’s… dangerous.”

“I know. I know I’m so stupid for having feelings for him. I’m supposed to be responsible and protect my coven. And now I’m dumb enough to fall in love with a vampire,” she whined, covering her face in her hands.

Tikki shook her head. “Stop it. No need to beat yourself up over this.”

Marinette peaked up at her familiar between her fingers. “W-What? How could you be okay with this? You should be furious with me. I’ve let my guard down and put us all in danger.”

“Marinette, as much as I want you to fulfill your destiny… I love you so much more. You should follow your heart. If you care about him, then I support you. But there’s something you should know—”

“Marinette!”

She popped straight up when her best friend, Alya, shot open the trap door to her room. Marinette pretended to be groggy, forcing a fake yawn.

“A-Alya…? What are you doing here?” she asked quickly.

The red head crossed her arms, smirking. “Don’t give me that bullshit. I came over last night and you weren’t here. You’re lucky I covered for you.”

Marinette gaped. “I-I…”

“Where did you go?”

She shifted uncomfortably in the covers. Tikki gave her a warning glance. Marinette knew she had to keep this a secret from Alya. Nothing good would come of telling Alya that she was sneaking out to meet with a vampire that she just so happened to be falling in love with. Yeah. That sounded reasonable, she mused to herself.

Alya cocked a brow. “Uh oh, what’s that smile?”

“Nothing. I just went out flying. I needed time to think and clear my head.”

Alya didn’t seem to be buying her excuse. But instead of pressing her, she sighed. “C’mon, M. You’d tell me if you were sneaking out to meet up with a guy, right?”

No, she thought. Alya was nosey. She wouldn’t keep her mouth shut. If Alya knew she liked a guy, she’d demand to know everything about him. Even if Marinette left out the tiny detail of him being a vampire, her best friend would still find out somehow. The feelings she possessed right now were best left unsaid.

Marinette knew Alya just wanted what was best for her. Alya had Nino. And they were cute together. Madly in love, even. She knew that Alya wanted that for her too. To have that love with someone like she did. And Marinette was finding it on her own. Without help. Sure, maybe he wasn’t a warlock, but it didn’t mean that she couldn’t love him. Adrien wasn’t vicious or vindictive. Hell, when he had tried to act cocky and dickish when they first met, he was hardly convincing. He broke that character as soon as she met his gaze.

Adrien was warm… and loving. He just had so much affection to give. She didn’t know if vampires grew up in a loving household, or if it was just Adrien’s homelife that was rough and different. He had mentioned his father keeping him coped up at home. That must have not been normal.

Marinette jerked herself from her thoughts when she noticed Alya gazing expectantly at her.

“Of course, I would,” she lied smoothly.

Alya cocked a brow at her. “Are you sure?” Her eyes lit up suddenly. “Omigod! Was it Luka?”

“No!” Marinette said immediately, making Alya’s jaw snap shut.

Luka was a warlock in their coven. He was the elder brother of one of the girls in their training group, Juleka. Marinette admitted to having a small crush on him a few months ago. He was a sweet guy. They’d gone out to some of the festivals together a few times, but Marinette never felt that connection she wanted.

Hell, she even had trouble being around the guy now. Ever since she’d rejected him after he tried to kiss her, she had a hard time facing him. Marinette just had a feeling that Luka wasn’t supposed to be her first kiss. An instinct, maybe? She wasn’t sure. But she didn’t regret it now.

Marinette was confident her first kiss would be with Adrien at that point.

Alya cocked to the side, her hands going to her hips. “What’s so wrong with him? Didn’t you like him?”

“We just weren’t compatible, okay?”

“But he liked you!”

“Yes. He did.”

“He tried to kiss you!”

“Yes. I know, Alya. And I slapped my hand over his mouth and pushed him away. I’m sure that made him feel great!”

“You should give him another chance.”

“Alya, stop!”

Her mouth snapped shut. Alya’s eyes were wide as the two sat in a harsh silence. Marinette glowered at her from her bed. Again, she knew Alya meant well, but her methods were flawed. Marinette hated the pressure. They were eighteen. It was the prime time for witches to find their soulmates. Each witch had one. That one person they were destined to find and be with. It was hard dating within the coven. Everyone knew everyone’s business. It was rare that witches went through multiple relationships.

The fact that she and Luka dated a little and didn’t end up together was odd for their kind. But it didn’t feel right. Plus, Marinette’s destiny was always slapping her in the face. She didn’t really want to drag another into her fate.

With Adrien, it was different. He was a vampire. He wasn’t involved in the coven’s woes and prophecies. She knew she’d have to tell him eventually. But she wanted to wait a bit longer. She wanted them to get closer and act on her feelings before telling him the truth.

Before he had a chance to reject her…

Alya sighed. “Fine. But if you end up an old hag, then don’t blame me.”

“Yeah, yeah.”

When she told Adrien about the dating traditions of witches, she may have left out a minor detail. While vampires may be given off to an arranged marriage, witches begin to rapidly age when they turn thirty if they haven’t met their soulmate. And… they’d also live the lifespan of an average human rather than the normal life expectancy of witches. Every magical being had their catch. Nothing could have the chance to be almost immortal without having a consequence.

Alya climbed up the ladder, sitting at Marinette’s feet. “I’m sorry. I know you have plenty of time to find your soulmate. I just can’t help but feel guilty.”

“Guilty?”

She nodded. “Yeah. I feel like I’m practically shoving it in your face all of the time that I found my soulmate at fourteen. It’s why I haven’t been hanging out with Nino as much with you around.”

Marinette gave Alya a small smile. “Al, don’t feel bad for that. I’m happy for you, truly.”

“You mean it?”

Reaching over, she took Alya’s hand. “Yes. Don’t worry about it. I don’t mind seeing you happy, Alya. And I’ll find someone. It’s okay.”

Her best friend beamed. “Yes! Yes, you will, Marinette!”

“But,” Marinette cut in. “Remember, I have other things to worry about right now? So, I’ll have time to date when all of that’s over.”

Alya waved a hand. “Fulfilling prophecies, blah blah. Whatever. You’ll do it.”

“Thanks for your confidence in me,” Marinette said with a snort.

“You will, Marinette,” Tikki piped in. Her familiar fluttered to her shoulder. “You can defeat Gabriel Agreste just like the prophecy says.”

“I hope so, Tikki.”

________________________________________________________________

When Marinette finally got Alya off her tail, she headed downstairs to find her parents making breakfast for her. She didn’t know how she’d function with so little sleep. She had slept next to Adrien for what? Maybe four hours? The rest of the day of definitely going to suck.

Sabine smiled when she noticed the two girls ascending down the steps. She placed a plate of pancakes on the island smiling at them as they approached. “Morning, girls!” she chimed.

Marinette took a seat as her mother brought over two plates. “Morning…” she muttered. She was far too tired to continue making conversation. Alya literally exhausted her with the hounding of questions when she first arrived.

She placed three pancakes on her plate at a turtle pace. Marinette didn't want to admit she was exhausted. Maybe, she was coming down from an adrenaline rush after the panicked events of the morning. The witch drizzled her syrup, watching it drip down the stack. Alya watched her, seemingly amused.

When Alya grabbed a few pancakes of her own, Sabine returned with glasses of milk and a plate of toast. "Eat up girls! You always need to be at full strength. You never know when all of your training will come in handy," her mother said with a waggle of her fingers.

Alya nodded. "No kidding… I heard another coven was attacked last night. The vampires were forced to retreat because of the sunrise, but I heard it was pretty brutal."

Sabine hummed sadly in response as she made her own plate of pancakes.

Marinette's fork paused in front of her mouth. Her ears perked at the conversation. That was probably Adrien's clan… She assumed he was a member of the Agreste clan somehow. Or at least associated.

"Those wretched vampires are so disgustingly evil that it makes me sick…" Alya grumbled, stabbing her fork into her stack.

"Are you sure that all vampires are evil?" Marinette asked. She immediately regretted opening her mouth. Her mother and Alya both shared astonished and confused stares while Tikki glowered at her. Frantically backtracking, Marinette dropped her fork to wave her hands. "I-I just mean that… Has anyone truly researched into vampires? Learned more about them?"

Alya scoffed. "As if! If any of us were to come in contact with a vampire, our blood would be drained from our bodies in an instant! I don't think they tend to do q&as or make friendly conversation."

One does, she thought curtly to herself. There was no way she could ever reveal Adrien to them. They'd attack him on the spot.

Sabine nodded. "Yes, Marinette. Vampires are evil and unsafe. I hope you weren't thinking about doing something crazy."

Marinette shrugged. "I was just curious. My destiny is to defeat them, right? The more info the better."

Alya cocked a brow at her. "I think you're still half asleep."

A good excuse… She nodded in response, letting out an over exaggerated yawn. Marinette stretched, popping her bones as she did so. "Yeah, maybe you're right. I'm probably not thinking clearly."

Marinette evaded the rest of the conversation by stuffing her face with pancakes. She gave Tikki a nervous smile, who simply squinted at her in response. Her little arms were crossed stubbornly. Marinette knew she was in for a tongue lashing later.

_______________________________________________________________

“Do you believe in prophecies?” Marinette asked Adrien the following evening as they laid together on her blanket.

Adrien turned his head to furrow his brows at her. “I’ve never really heard of any. Why? Is that something you guys do?”

“We have an oracle who made predictions. Every witch in the coven has their own prophecy and destiny that they’re supposed to fulfill.”

He seemed surprised by that. His eyes widened and brows rocketed beneath his bangs. “Wow, really?” Adrien turned his head, searching the sky as he hummed in thought. “No, I’ve never really believed in destiny.”

Marinette took his hand in hers. “I do. Definitely. It gives me hope that someday you and I could be friends like this every day. Without the fear of being shamed or killed.”

A silence passed between them. Adrien seemed to soak in her words as the stars twinkled above them. His fingers tightened their grip around hers.

Turning to face her once more, he smiled. “Is there a prophecy like that? Is that why you’re asking?”

She nodded. “Yeah. Someone is supposed to single handedly end this war between witches and vampires.”

Adrien gaped. “Wow. That witch must be really powerful.”

Swallowing, she agreed. “Y-Yeah. She is.”

“Oh! It’s a girl? Do you know her?”

Marinette was at a loss. She wanted to tell him. She wanted to tell him that she was the one who was going to end this war. But for some reason, she couldn’t bring herself to do it. She couldn’t bring herself to say “I’m supposed to kill Gabriel Agreste.” It was on the tip of her tongue. But the words wouldn’t come out.

What was holding her back? Why couldn’t she just say it? Why couldn’t she get it out in the open between them?

Sighing, she finally answered. “Y-Yeah. I know her,” her words were meek and timid. She worried he may catch on. Adrien was a little naive, she had to admit. But he wasn’t stupid. He could notice her acting strangely.

“Wow. Honestly… I can’t wait for that day.”

Her eyes widened, she turned her head quickly to look at him. “Really?”

“Yeah. I want to be with you any time of the day. Whenever I want. Without having to hide in the forest,” his hand squeezed hers. “That’ll be amazing.”

“W-Well, I hope she can pull it off.”

He grinned, fangs gleaming in the starlight. “Me too.”

11 notes · View notes

tabithacarlisle · 6 years

Text

*OFF THE RECORD Pairing: Maxwell x Tabitha (TRR MC) | (Liam x Tabitha & Drake x Liam are mentioned)

Word Count: 4392 (pour yourself a drink and settle in ;)

Warnings: 18+ NS*W, 🍋, marital angst, smut, extramarital affairs, pregnancy, swearing

bonus warning: this is my first fic in a long, long time! It’s probably super messy, but this story has been bouncing around in my head ever since I first read TRR Book 3’s Vegas Fling with Maxwell & it blew my mind!! ;) Glad to finally put it out there in print.

*OFF THE RECORD PREQUEL <<< click here!*

*Author’s Note: any time you see text underlined, it’s a link to screenshots from Pixelberry’s Choices TRR scenes, or other chapters referenced from *OTR- click them!! :) Notes: Pixelberry Studios owns these characters, not me! I just have fun playing with them :) Also a short snippet of dialogue quoted from Choices TRR 3 Chapter 16 “What Happens in Vegas...” is used as a flashback. This chapter takes place about 4 months after the Royal Wedding in TRR Book 3 Off The Record (OTR)by Jo (“@tabithacarlisle” :) Maxwell got the Caller ID notification on his iWatch:

‘Tabitha 👑🌸’.

He answered it right away on his cell,“Hey, ‘Your Majesty!’ Glad you called! I was just thinking about calling you, actually, I—“

(Crying, she cut him off) “Oh Maxwell...”::sob:: “Hey-heyhey hey, shhhhh, it’s ok. It’s ok! What’s going on- what happened?”

“I had to reschedule my sonogram appointment that was supposed to be for tomorrow. Bastien called. He said Liam’s one-on-one meetings at the Davos Summit are running late, and he’ll need to stay out there for another week. But, Liam wants us to find out the baby’s sex together, so I’ll just... have to keep waiting! Again! Oh my fucking gawd, Max! He’s always in ‘meetings!’ He’s always gone! I was just looking forward to us sharing that moment together to see our new baby, so much. How could Liam put off such an important milestone for his first child? It’s not fair. No— I shouldn’t say that. I mean,I know —He warned me what I was getting into when I married him, how he’d have to split his loyalties between me and his duties as King. But, Maxwell, I don’t think I’m cut out to be the sole parent while he galavants around the globe all the time! Our first sonogram! Is nothing sacred? For fuck’s-sake?!” Another loud sob escaped her throat. “I’m sorry, I’m hormonal hot-mess right now and more upset by this than I probably should be, but... I could really use a friend to distract me right now. I —“ “Say no more! I’m only a quick jet-ride away. I’ll be there a-sap.” She sniffed on the other end. “Omigod, I don’t know what I did to deserve a best friend like you, Max. Thank you.” Her statement caught Maxwell off guard. He felt his breath catch in his throat & his heart take a small leap in his chest. After that beat, he spoke, “Stop it. You deserve everything good, Tabitha. And, I feel the same about you, too.” ...

Tabitha had cared for Maxwell more than anyone in his had ever cared for him in his whole life, besides his late mother, and the thought of her being sad tugged at his heartstrings like no other. He’d do anything to make her smile and take her pain away

...... Maxwell fast-walked to keep up with Mara as she led him down the long, gilded hallway to the master bedroom doors. Even with his lanky, athletic legs and naturally speedy gait, his hurried strides still kept him about half a pace behind hers. Mara spoke to him over her shoulder, “Between the two of us, OTR? I’m thankful you came, Lord Maxwell. Her Majesty has been holed up in her room all day.” He gave a solemn nod and waited at the door as Mara rapped her knuckles on the frame “Lord Maxwell to see you, your Majesty.”

The sound of urgent steps grew louder before the door opened . Tabitha covered her sob with the back of her hand. “Oh Maxwell!”

They hugged, clinging to each other as if their bodies were buoys in the middle of a vast ocean. Maxwell placed a chaste kiss on her head as she burrowed it into his chest. After a few moments Tabitha pulled away from him long enough to address her bodyguard,

“Thank you, Mara. We’ll be fine.”

Mara gave a curt bow and left the room closing the door behind her. Maxwell gripped her hands to space their bodies apart as to get a better look at her. Tears were rolling down her cheeks and Tabitha shuddered as she felt his barely calloused thumb pad wipe them away.

“It has been way too long, Tabz! I’m sorry I’ve gotten so wrapped up in my book tour. And I haven’t seen you since you and Liam announced the news. Look at you!” His eyes shone with emotion as he looked her up and down, seeing the small growing bump underneath her shift dress. “You’re going to be a mom!”

Tabitha’s sobs resumed with a heave in her chest, her hands still holding on to his. She looked down and sighed. “But Liam’s not here.” She let go to dab the corner of her eye with the back of her thumb. “This was supposed to be a big milestone. It was so important to me. It should have been important for him, too! This whole pregnancy, becoming a parent in the next few months, it doesn’t even feel real yet, y’know? I just want to see this baby so badly to prove that to myself, to hear its heartbeat again. And, I wanted this for Liam, too! He needs that affirmation just as much as I do. I want him to feel that this is real. For us. For the family we’re about to create.”

“Psssh. Of course it’s real, Tabitha! Look at me, look. This? Right here? This was always the ‘end game’ for us. Getting Liam to fall in love with you, getting the two of you married and secure your place on throne for Cordonia with an heir, it’s all real! You have no idea how proud of you I am.”

“Really?”

“You know it.” Maxwell clicked his tongue mischievously as he squatted down low, hovering his cupped palms over her belly. He looked up at her with wide, adoring eyes. “May I?”Tabitha smiled softly and nodded, touched by his reverence for her condition.Having permission, he placed both hands down over her stomach and turned his head as he spoke animatedly to it “Hello in there, Little One! Guess what? Gender reveal parties are so basic! Definitely too passé for a future celebrity trend-setter like you!”Tabitha giggled.He looked up to give her a subtle wink, then continued talking to her belly in a more of a whisper, but loud enough for Tabitha to hear him, “You are destined for so. much. more! And your favorite Uncle Maxwell is going to spoil you rotten, no matter what.”

Tabitha put her hands over his as she looked at him with happy tears beginning to well in her eyes, “I can’t wait for that to happen.”Maxwell beamed up at Tabitha and gave her belly an adoring quick kiss before he sprung up from his crouching position to a stand. He began to tear up too, seeing so much emotion stirring in her. There was so much he wanted to say, but now that she was the Queen he felt as if it was no longer his place quite like before, to be so free with his words with her. So instead, he stared intensely into her eyes and beamed at her, wishing to convey all he felt in his heart at that moment through his smile.

“Maxwell,” she began with a tentative shake to her voice “there’s somethi—“ “No, no.” he interrupted, “You asked me to be your distraction from all of this, and I promised I’d come through for you.” “When Maxwell Percival Beaumont makes a promise, he delivers!” Maxwell pulled a small thumb drive out of his pocket. “Ahem. OK, check . this . out. My buddy, Spencer, just gave me some bootleg pre-theatrical releases of ‘John Wick 3,’ ‘Avengers Endgame,’ and ‘The Curse of La Llorna’. Siiiiiick, right?! I’m so stoked! I’ll call the kitchen downstairs for popcorn and drinks, and we’re in business!“ “Ugh, no,” she groaned, turning away and shutting him down, “no action or horror movies tonight. You know how they put me to sleep.” He scoffed in mock disappointments at her, chuckling.”I still don’t get it. How the hell does anyone fall asleep during action movies?! What‘s wrong with you?” Tabitha shrugged, “I told you, without character development or drama to pull me in, it all just becomes too much overstimulation and I just, tune it out. The loud sound effects just start to sound like a white noise machine.” Yawning through her words, she continued, “But, now that you mention it, maybe that’s just what I need to cure my insomnia?” “No, nononono. I did not come all the way from Ramsford to have my bestie fall asleep on me tonight, Tabz!” Rubbing and patting her shoulders and crouching slightly to look directly into her eyes he said, “Here’s what we’re gonna do: I’m going order up sundaes to the room and we’re going to stay up hate-watching trashy reality shows. Whatever it takes for you to have the fun night that you deserve, ok?” She smirked in agreement, “Ice cream & trashy tv? Now you’re speaking my language.” Maxwell triumphantly gave his fist aquick air pump “Yes! I’ll call the kitchen up right now.” ...........

Within moments they were sitting sprawled on the oversized chaise loungers in the adjoining theater room, watching “Real Housewives of Cordonia” on the drop down projection screen and spooning mouthfuls of mutiflavored ice cream sundaes into their mouths. Maxwell had consumed enough wine for the both of them which warmed him plenty afterwards but Tabitha had to abstain. Brrrr!” She shivered “Omigod I’m freezing now!” Maxwell chuckled & shook his head, bouncing up right away to fetch a large plush throw blanket to drape over her with a dramatic flourish. He knew the drill. “Your wish, is my command.” “Thank you!” she gushed, her teeth were still chattering, “You’re so good to me, Maxwell.” “Mind if I stretch out here? I need to put my feet up.” Maxwell found her adorable when she was cold and pouty. “Of course!” He winked and motioned for her to cuddle up against him, “C’mere,” and as she placed her head on his lap he ruffled her hair playfully. In this moment, they were just Tabitha & Maxwell, ‘best friends.’ She was his first real best friend. Isn’t this what all best friends do? “She’s like the sister I never had” he’d tell his other guy friends when they had teased him about her. They didn’t believe him. Was that it though? They were about the same age but he felt an impulse to comfort and guard her from any one or anything that could make her sad. Like an older brother? No, it was much more complex than that. Maxwell draped his arm over Tabitha protectively and she snuggled up against him, her eyes closed for a brief moment, full of contentment. As the night wore on, several episodes later, Maxwell found himself laughing at a commercial and looked down at Tabitha to see why she wasn’t laughing too. She was sound asleep. “Geez, I should have known,” he whispered, “you always fall asleep when you lie down to watch tv,”

Maxwell felt a surge of warm appreciation for how much she still trusted him, after all this time, even after marrying Liam, to let down her guard enough to fall asleep on him. He found her breathtaking when she slept, watching her long lashes flutter softly over her cheeks. Pregnancy suited Tabitha; she was even more radiant than usual, and her hair was long and lush, spread out and falling over both her shoulders and his knees. Her lips were swollen and parted, and as he watched the rise and fall of her body, he fell in a sort of trance watching sleepy breaths escaping softly from her mouth every few seconds. Maxwell felt the urge to touch her. He gently combed his fingers through her hair, tracing over the braided bags that always crowned her forehead, and in doing this he began to recall the bachelorette party, the after party, “a free pass”

....... ~(flashback to Tabitha and Maxwell lying naked together in The Vegas hotel penthouse suite bed, Maxwell playing with her hair)~

“I’m going to wake up tomorrow and wonder if any of this was real...”

“What happens in Vegas...”

“Can happen anywhere else in the world?”

“Maxwell.”

“Can’t blame a guy for trying.”

~...

He remembered that night, the way she made him feel like the luckiest guy on earth. Why me? The future queen of Cordonia could have had any one that night for her ‘last premarital fling,’ sanctioned & blessed by none other than the her future husband, the King of Cordonia himself. And she picked Maxwell Beaumont? He remembered how out of character it was for her to seem nervous talking to him when she had brought it up at the hotel bar at the end of the night. The way she blushed and seemed just slightly and uncharacteristically nervous, she had never smiled at him like that before. He remembered she shivered when he kissed her neck, her collar bone, the swell of her breast, He remembered how she smelled, how she tasted, the soft, beautiful and otherworldly sounds she made as he went down on her on the window seat overlooking the Vegas Strip, how effortlessly he had fit into her, and how easy it had been for them to find their shared rhythm as they came together...

Coming to and snapping out of his flashback, Maxwell audibly whelped as he realized how close Tabitha’s face was to his crotch and his growing erection aching against the fly of his pants. The noise that escaped from the back of his throat caused her to stir, and he cursed himself under his breath for waking Tabitha up. “Err, sorry Sleeping Beauty but I... gotta—‘xcuse me!” he started to get up

Tabitha started to sit up herself, drowsily, with her eyes squinting against the glow of the projection screen in the semi dark room. Her line of vision came into focus onto Maxwell’s lap as he hastily tried to move from under her, and just as suddenly, she became aware of what must have been the source of his need to get away. “Maxwell! Omigod I’m so sorry- what happened?” Was that - was I touching you in my sleep? Liam says I—“ Hearing Liam’s name made his flight response kick into overdrive. This was wrong, this was so, so wrong and he had really fucked up, again. Maxwell blurted out “No! No no, it’s not— I just... had to—“ “Oh gawd” she realized he was leaving to go ‘rub one out’ in the bathroom, and the thought of him doing that had made her surprisingly horny, “Wait, Maxwell...” her hungry eyes begged him, looking him over up and down and resting at his girth. Then she sat up and did that thing Maxwell loved so when she bit the corner of her bottom lip, “You don’t need to take care of that alone. I can help you.” Oh shit. He couldn’t. She was married now. To Liam. King Liam. Maxwell began to really sweat now. fuck, is this really happening? I can’t let her do this I can’t— “No!” He pleaded, unconvincingly “I can just go—mmmphf!” His words of objection were silenced when her lips crashed into his and she them with the tip of her tongue. He lost himself, momentarily suspended in disbelief and letting go, groans escaping into her mouth as his hand moved to cup her jaw. But just as suddenly as the kiss had happened he remembered where they were, who was missing, and he let her go. “No, Tabitha,... what about Liam. You can’t. We can’t” “He’s not here.” she protested, wiping off her mouth. “He won’t be back for days. Bastien said this summit goes on for—” “But” he looked down at her baby-bump, asking his head. “I can’t, I don’t want to hurt the baby” Tabitha laughed “omigod, Maxwell! do you realize how often pregnant women have sex? It’s completely safe, nothing bad will happen to the baby” “...Really?” “Doctor approved. My hormones are raging, I’ve got no more morning sickness so now I’m horny all the time! Which is unfortunate because Liam has been.. distant, and busy.. And you know about, him and Drake, right? The real reason why Drake is always coming along on these international business trips with him?” “I mean yeah, I know... I know what used to go on” he nods, “but, I thought they would have stopped that by now, now that you’re married, I mean?“ “I had thought the same thing, but Mara & Bastien & Liam have placed so many restrictions on my travel. I feel like a princess stuck in a tower! I mean I get why they’re being overprotective, I’m carrying the future heir to the throne. But now that means I can’t be there for Liam when he gets he needs to be fulfilled. Drake is there, I’m not, so... I get it, I do. We’ve talked about it and we have an understanding. But, I get so emotional and lonely now, I just wish.... Liam has needs but, so do I...” she looked up through her lashes at him pleadingly and then back down her thin fingers ghosting over his belt. He gulped. “Yeah, ::pant:: ‘needs’, I know about those...” he could feel his dick stiffening again, aching for her. She kissed her way up Maxwell’s jawline and nipped at his ear, tenderly moaning into it.“Mmhmm.” Maxwell shivered. Tabitha’s hands went straight for his belt buckle. Like Houdini breaking out of a straightjacket she expertly freed his erection. When she pulled down the elastic from his boxer briefs his cock sprung out and bobbed up against his shirt. Tabitha grabbed his shaft and took him into her mouth in one swift motion. Maxwell’s hips instinctively thrust forward and he closed his eyes, grunting “jesusFUCK that’s good. ahhh!-“ he could now feel her canines lightly grazing his skin, her pointed tongue scribbling lines on him, and though his eyes were closed he could feel her smiling with satisfaction at how easy he was to please with each moan of pleasure he made. Maxwell’s hands grabbed her hair to pull her closer as her checks once again hollowed out to take all of him in. It was hard, really hard, for Maxwell to remember to have inhibitions and to mind the Royal protocol with his dick deep in her mouth. He knew he should stop, but then again, if he should stop, why would it feel so natural and so fucking good to be like this with her? “Tabitha...” She let the tip of his shaft roll out of her mouth and rest on her pursed lips while taking the length in one hand and his balls in the other, cupping him while circling the underside of the velvety head with the tip of her tongue. Licking him down and up, she traced the sinewy underside of the shaft, her fingers massaged tight circles on the sensitive spot just underneath his sac. “Nghhnn!” Maxwell saw how the lust in her eyes made her pupils flood them with black, darkening with desire. That look from her made his cock convulse and beads of precum began leaking at the tip. Tabitha moaned with him inside her mouth causing tantalizing vibrations on his member... but Maxwell’s trance was interrupted by a sudden and inconvenient thought invaded his mind. “Wait!”He pulled away from her. Tabitha looked up at him, confused “What?” she pouted. “I can’t cum in your mouth!” he almost whispered motioning to her stomach: “The b—.” Tabitha covered her mouth in horror “shit, you’re right” She blushed furiously.

Tabitha started to get up but her eyes darted to the side as a solution presented itself to her. She looked back at him with a Cheshire Cat grin and raked her fingers up his abdomen to his chest. “Well then, Lord Beaumont,” she purred “it looks like you’re just going to have to cum inside me.” Maxwell opened his mouth to protest, but soon forgot his objections when she came back down to meet his lips again. He smiled against her mouth and deepened the kiss as they raced and fumbled to finish undressing each other. Maxwell’s teeth playfully nipped and sucked at the exposed hollow of her neck and she gasped at the sensation. “Oh god, Tabitha. I want you so bad” he murmured in his soft, husky voice at her ear before he bit at the cartilage. “I need you now, Max.” she gasped. Maxwell’s hands palmed her breasts once he had sprung them from their confines and the heat of arousal blooming from her core at his touch was almost enough to send her over the edge. He lowered his head to take them in his mouth and stopped, his lips agape and his eyes widened, at how she had changed since the last time he had seen her naked. “They’re...so...big now!” A rakish smile crept on his face from ear to ear. He bent his neck again, meaning to tease her by biting her nipple, but it had the opposite effect and Tabitha whimpered. “ahhhAahh! More sensitive now, too!” Maxwell looked up apologetically at her “Sorry! I’ll be gentle.” Taking precious care now to avoid being so rough he swirled slow circles around her nipples with his tongue before taking her breast into his mouth to suck it. She moaned in the way that let him know he was doing it just right now and she could feel him smiling on her again.Tracing the faint raised lines of his hippo tattoo on his chest with deep longing she implored, him “I need you Max, right now.”

“Yes m’am!” He scooped her up into his arms and she squealed with surprised delight as he carried her over to the bed. Maxwell set her down dotingly on the pillows and kissed her again as he maneuvered himself on his knees between her legs. He allowed his shaft to slide against her folds, slick with arousal, rubbing back and forth on her clit. Tabitha grabbed the sheets and arched her back mewling with pleasure. “Now, Maxwell!” He guided himself into her and they connected at last. Tabitha’s ankles wrapped around his hips and he audibly groaned at how good it felt to be inside her again. His hips rolled into her rhythmically and she rose her pelvis up to meet them at his speed. She closed her eyes and reached down to rub her clit, but had made the mistake of forgetting how much Maxwell had liked to be the one in charge. He smirked and playfully slapped her hand away, replacing it with his own. “Nuh-unh, your Majesty, that’s my job.” This dominance in the bedroom was completely different than the dynamic she had with Liam and it was such a turn on. She whelped at the new waves of pleasure that coursed through her now, completely at the mercy of his touch. Grabbing one hand onto his bicep and the other at the nape of his neck, she anchored herself to him. Maxwell lowered himself to crush his lips against hers again, groaning and all the while never losing the tempo of his thrust. Tabitha pulled back to take a sharp breath and he pushed her wrists down to hold them against the bed and as he planked himself above her. Maxwell’s biceps flexed to hover over her just so as to not crush her with his weight. They stared deep into each others eyes, both a deep sapphire blue mirroring each-other’s intensity with pupils ever growing and darkening their depths, “Max- I’m gonna... nnhhh”

Her words came as he felt her walls begin to throb around him, and it set every nerve in his body alight. With ever quickening pace his breaths and hip gyrations intensified. He could sense that familiar feeling of his sac tightening, and from her shallow breathing he knew they were both almost there. Maxwell closed his eyelids as he gave over to the delicious pressure boiling over in him, and they climaxed together, groaning into each other’s necks to muffle their sounds of wanton euphoria

......

He turned over and collapsed sweaty and spent onto the pillow top mattress. There was a smattering of lazy breathless kisses and pets shared between them, but no words of consequence spoken. Staring at the ceiling, Maxwell took a deep breath and collected his thoughts. His mind was wrestling with the two warring impulses. One: get out of bed right away, get dressed and leave. She was not his & he was not hers, that was the standard procedure for all of his other one night stands. The second one was to wrap his arms around her and stay that way till morning in that beautiful postcoital bliss that he had only ever felt with her. Maxwell was relieved when Tabitha made the decision for him, nuzzling her head into the crook of his shoulder and tenderly draping her arms around him. He combed her hair with his fingers, staring at the ceiling until his heavy eyelids began to give way to sleep. They stayed that way for many moments, silent and breathing slowly with their chests rising and falling in alternation. “I love you” he whispered under his breath, meaning only for himself to hear it, just before drifting off. But then, he heard her, murmuring in her sleep, “The... baby... might be yours” Was he dreaming already? She couldn’t have really said that. Tabitha said she was on the pill during the unity tour, surely there was... no way that— but he couldn’t finish the thought before falling into a deep & dreamless sleep

...................

To Be Continued......? <<< click for *OTR Part 2

Tagging: @brightpinkpeppercorn @itsbrindleybinch @silversparrow02

also tagging some of my favorite bloggers who’ve tagged me before on their fanfics ;) : @tmarie82 @boneandfur @ritachacha @breaumonts @fullbeaumonty@scgdoeswhat @ludextruction @littlecrookedheart @jovialyouthmusic @queen-among-writers @choiceslife

#maxwell beaumont #maxwell x mc #trr fanfic #choices fanfiction #choices fanfic #off the record #maxwell x tabitha #thirsty thursday #ns*fw #maxwell's vegas fling #lemon #tabithacarlisle #otr part 1 #liam x mc #drake x liam #playchoices fanfic

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disasterhumans · 5 years

Note

How about Nott?

Do you love/hate/don’t feel strongly about this character?

I LOVE ONE (1) GOBLIN/HALFLING ROGUE MOM FRIEND SO MUCH

What’s your favorite trait of this character?

Her bravery. Nott is arguably the bravest member of the Mighty Nein. She has a lot of fear and anxiety, but she’ll throw herself into danger–and situations that are specifically terrifying for her–without hesitation. I love that her bravery is also directly connected to her love for her friends. She self-medicates with alcohol, but so often the actual driving force behind her rushing into danger (or diving into the ocean) is the strength of her love for her friends, and her desire to protect them.

What’s your favorite moment/event involving this character?

I’m torn between the scene where she admits that she loves the Mighty Nein during the Iron Shepherd’s arc, and her giving her full backstory. So I’ll just say that they tie. I feel like we keep re-meeting Nott over the course of he campaign–every few weeks we learn something about her that marks a radical shift in my perception of who she is. Nott is certainly changing and growing, but I feel like a lot of her story has been about revealing–and every time we learn more another piece of he puzzle falls into place.

If you could have one power/attribute/etc. of this character, what would it be?

Honestly? I would love to be able to effectively pickpocket/pick locks.

Have you ever pictured this character naked?

Not that I can recall? I think I largely picture CR characters (at least from the second campaign) naked to the extent they have canonically had cause to be naked, and so far every time Nott has been naked in canon she has also been under Disguise Self. I am rooting for some canonical reunion Brenatto sex, though.

When did you fall in love/hate with this character? If you don’t have any strong feelings toward them, why not?

I loved her pretty immediately, but probably the first time I explicitly thought “omigod I love her” was when Jester and Nott excitedly accused Kylre of the murders in Trostenwald. The moment she became explicitly important to me was when we first got her (heavily edited) backstory, and she talked more openly/explicitly about her dysphoria. Nott’s dysphoria is much stronger than mine, but she’s also the first character whose dysphoria I’ve been able to relate to. And I think weirdly that might be a product of the fact that she’s not a trans character. Most trans characters whose dysphoria get explored in-narrative are binary trans people. Most of the (very, very few) nonbinary characters I’ve seen don’t really have dysphoria explored in relation to their character. It’s been a lot easier for me to relate to Nott’s dysphoria on a metaphoric level–and in general the extent to which her story is so focused on identity and self-hood has been really affirming, and led to a lot of really important conversations.

Who’s your OTP for this character?

I think that Nott/Jester is delightful, but absolutely nothing could compare to the searing joy that is Nott/Yeza. The Brenattos now own my heart and I love them so much. I’m still crying over last episode. I can’t wait to see more.

#critical role #nott the brave #ask meme #anonymous #asks

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choupetit · 5 years

Text

GOT Recap: The Long Night

Airdate: 4/28/19 ; Season 8, Episode 3

The great battle we’ve so been anticipating is upon us and peeps are gonna die! I’m scurred! The night is indeed dark and full of terrors – and in this particular case, it was so dark that many viewers (including yours truly) had a tough time actually seeing the action on screen. So adjust your brightness settings, turn off all the lights, grab your stress ball and set a timer to remind yourself to breathe every 5 minutes, ‘cause this was one very intense episode and it’s time for a supersized recap of “The Long Night”. To get the full authentic feel of the show, I highly recommend you wrap some mesh around your eyes to make sure that you have to really squint to read all the words – ya know, so you can feel like you’re there with the characters. Now, let’s get to it!

Is there any better way to start than a close-up of Samwell Tarly’s shaking hands as some dragonglass weapons are thrust into them? I think not. Things are tense from the get go, y’all, and we follow Sam as he walks past all the various characters and groups as they take their places for the battle ahead.

Lyanna Mormont shouts to her men in the courtyard. Bran, accompanied by Theon Greyjoy and his men, shoots Sam a look as he is pushed in his wheelchair toward the Godswood. Tyrion grabs a giant flask of wine as he makes his way to the crypts. A giant formation of Unsullied stand at the ready. Ahead of them are the Dothraki on their horses – Ser Jorah Mormont is among them on his steed looking out into the endless black night. Ghost is there, too! The Northerners and Free Folk are primed for the fight and we get a nice view of the lineup of all our favorites: Brienne of Tarth, Jaime Lannister, Podrick Payne, Tormund Giantsbane, Gendry, The Hound, Beric Dondarrion and Dolorous Edd – whom Sam joins in the formation.

On the ramparts are sisters Sansa and Arya Stark as well as Ser Davos Seaworth – they peer into the dark, unable to see anything at all. Overhead a sharp dragon shriek rings out – Daenerys Targaryen and Jon Snow soar past them on the two dragons, Drogon and Rhaegal. The tension is palpable as the collective group stares off into the cold nothingness. The only sound to be heard is the wind. They wait. Out of the darkness, a cloaked rider slowly approaches the front line of Dothraki. It’s Melisandre, here to (hopefully) save the day! Or night! She asks Jorah to instruct the horde to raise their swords. As they do, Melisandre walks to one of the riders, clasps his blade in her hand and starts to chant some witchy voodoo words. The blade catches on fire and it sets off a domino effect: A sea of Dothraki swords is set ablaze and it’s awesome to behold. Damn straight, Night King, we comin’ for ya!! Jorah gives a nod of appreciation, and as Melisandre’s horse makes its way toward the Winterfell gates, she passes Grey Worm and says “Valar Morghulis” (All men must die). He replies “Valar Dohaeris” (All men must servce). Ugh, all men must die?! Noooo, it’s been nice knowing you, Grey Worm!

As the fire priestess approaches, Ser Davos instructs the guards to open the gates and he storms down to confront her. They meet and she tells him to cool his jets. “No need to kill me, dude, I’ll be dead before dawn.” Melisandre glances to the ramparts where she sees Arya looking at her. Hey, now they’re like…what’s the female term for “Tunnel Brothers”…maybe ”Sausage Sisters”? They both stare at each other for a moment, stone faced.

We get an awesome view from the ramparts of all the Dothraki with their fiery swords, and on the battle field, Jorah calls out to the riders to charge. All the Dorthraki surge ahead, shrieking out their battle cries as they gallop along with Jorah and our favoritest direwolf of them all. Oh man, I really hope Ghost doesn’t bite it in this battle! Jon and Dany watch from a hillside as the Dothraki advance in one huge fiery mass.

We still can’t see any White Walkers or Army of Dead in the dark. The Unsullied release their trebuchets and blazing boulders launch over the advancing Dothraki into the void. Everybody at Winterfell watches on in suspense. As the boulders land, and the Dothraki meet their enemy, however, the fires are snuffed out one by one. A few shouts are heard in the distance as the darkness swallows up every last flame. Oh crap!

As the fighters outside Winterfell stand in shock, we hear horses whinnying and retreating in the dark. Dothraki run toward Winterfell on foot. Suddenly, Jorah gallops past – a vague look of shock on his cut face. He rides past all the men standing ready to fight and looks Tormund straight in the eye. Holy moly, y’all. What the heck is out there and how are they going to fight whatever is coming if fire can’t even hurt the Dead? The men on the ground steel themselves as creepy non-human sounds come at them from the distance. Omigod, omigod, omigod, I can’t handle it.

From the hill, Dany starts for her dragon. Jon stops her and says, “The Night King is coming.” Um, don’t you remember the plan to protect, Bran? Dany shoots back defiantly, “The Dead are already here.” She mounts Drogon.

Back on the ground, our protagonists brace themselves for what’s coming. Grey Worm dons his helmet. It’s go time! As the creepy sounds get closer, the Unsullied hold their spears at the ready and suddenly a massive sea of dead soldiers steamroll them. If you’ve ever seen World War Z, this is it. It’s like a gazillion ants overrunning everything. Only instead of ants, it’s a bunch of nasty resurrected dead people coming so fast and in numbers so immense that it’s an ocean of wights washing over the soldiers outside Winterfell. I can’t even keep track of who’s fighting who – it’s a huge terrible massacre. We see a few shots of all our fan faves and at one point Jaime helps save Brienne from a few snow zombies.

All of a sudden a jet of fire rains down – it’s Daenerys on Drogon, torching a bunch of the undead. Huzzah! And a second later we see another fire stream – Jon and Rhaegal for the assist! Gee, I hope nothing is happening to Bran in the Godswood right now. Truly, though, it’s the right call, and with the fire power of the two dragons, our people on the ground at least stand a better chance at survival. Jon sees the Army of Dead and White Walkers further off in the distance and steers his dragon toward them. But as Rhaegal approaches, a giant snow blizzard engulfs them. He can barely see anything, but manages to shoot off another fire stream onto the Dead below.

On the ramparts, Arya turns to Sansa and orders her to the crypts. When Sansa scoffs that she doesn’t want to abandon her people, Arya insists she leave and hands her a dragonglass dagger. When Sansa protests that she doesn’t know how to use it, Arya states “Stick ‘em with the pointy end.” Yaaaaaassss, love the callback!

Back on the battlefield, the blizzard has hit the fighters. It’s terribly disorienting, but our fan faves duke it out with the snow zombies. Sam falls to the ground during an attack and Edd helps him up, only to get stabbed through the back of the head. Noooo! RIP, Edd! Sam turns and runs.

Meanwhile, Sansa descends into the crypts. “Ok, girl, just remember to be super chill when you see everybody and don’t let them know we are all completely effed.” As she approaches the women and children, she keeps a calm, cool demeanor. Ya know what, Sansa’s chill factor is crazy impressive. Remember the battle at Blackwater? This gal knows how to lock it down and keep everybody else from panicking. She shoots Tyrion a lowkey “We are screwed” look and he chugs some wine from his flask. Hey, I’ll take whatever comedic relief I can get at this point. There isn’t a lot of dialogue in this episode, and I gotta say the silent moments are on point! Well done, thespians!

In the skies, Jon attempts to navigate his way through the blizzard on Rhaegal but suddenly another dragon bodychecks them – it’s Daenerys on Drogon. Whoopsies! They can barely see anything in this storm. Both of them regain their hold and they see hordes of Dead continuing to advance on Winterfell.

On the ground, Tormund and Brienne instruct the fighters to fall back and Grey Worm commands the Unsullied to protect the retreating Northerners. Lyanna Mormont has her men open the gates to them and they file in. Hey, would you look at that! Other than Edd, all our peeps are still alive! Knock on wood!

Jon steers Rhaegal toward the Godswood, while Bran and the Greyjoy gang wait in the eerily quiet enclosure. The dragon perches on one of the nearby walls.

During the retreat, Arya shoots a lit arrow from the ramparts just past the Hound’s head, saving him from a zombie. Nice shot! Some of the Unsullied pile into Winterfell, while another group holds off the Army of Dead. Grey Worm stands outside the gates and calls out to Davos to give the signal to set the trenches on fire. Davos raises two torches in the air – this is the clear sign for Daenerys to swoop down with her dragon, only…she doesn’t see it on account of that pesky blizzard. Ugh, no! The Army of Dead are almost at the gates. The archers attempt to light the trenches but their arrows flame out almost immediately.

Grey Worm notices Melisandre nearby and gets a team of Unsullied to protect her so she can help out. She lays her hands on the trenches and, again, does some incantations. Nothing happens. She continues. The Army of Dead get closer and closer. Nothing. She keeps on keeping on and just as a snow zombie comes careening at her, the trenches go up in flames, keeping the Dead at bay while the rest of the living retreat inside the walls of Winterfell.

From above, Daenerys sees the trenches and realizes she missed the signal. Drogon glides past the snow zombies and blasts another stream of fire on the Dead. Ok, timeout here: Why doesn’t Dany just go full Zamboni here and torch them all in one nice continuous line back and forth instead of just a solitary stream here and there? I’ll be the first to admit that I don’t understand the complexities of dragon-keeping, or their diets, and the rock-solid science that goes into their ability to breathe fire, but I’m really feeling that both Jon and Dany’s dragons could be doing a much more efficient job at wiping out way more snow zombies than they currently are.

In the super safe crypts below, Tyrion argues that he should be above ground as there may be some important thing, which nobody else might have noticed, that might make a difference. Sansa dismisses his remarks, stating that he would die. Being realistic about that fact is the bravest thing any of them can do right now. There’s a brief lighthearted moment as Tyrion muses that he and Sansa should have stayed married. She agrees he was the best of them all, but things would never work out between them because of their conflicting loyalties – he supports Daenerys, and she supports the free North. I’ve been thinking for a while now that these two will end up together on the Iron Throne at the very end. Might this moment be paving the way for that possibility?

Theon and his men stand alert in the Godswood with Bran sitting under his beloved Weirwood tree. With the trenches lit, Theon knows their time is running out. He attempts to apologize to Bran for all the crappy things he did back when he tried to take Winterfell for his own, but Bran stops him and explains that everything Theon has done has lead him to where he is now – home. Awwww, Bran, even though you’re completely devoid of emotion, you still know all the right words to say! I’m thinking there’s a Hallmark greeting card career in this one’s future. Or, also…death. Maybe. Then Bran is all “M’kay, things are getting pretty real now, so, I’m gonna go.” His eyes turn white and he’s off in Wargyland. We see some ravens perched in a tree and their eyes go white. They fly over Winterfell and the battle between the living and the dead. As they soar up, up, up, they see: The Night King flying on Viserion. He stretches his arm down to the ground and…

The snow zombies all stand motionless outside the burning trenches, but suddenly one solitary zombie walks straight into the fire. Then another. And another. Until they have made a little pathway for all the other zombies to walk over them and descend upon the Winterfell walls. Why is this happening?! Davos rallies the troops to man the walls. Once again in World War Z fashion, the Army of Dead start to pile up onto each other to scale the wall. Nooooo, this is looking really bad for all the good guys inside the castle. Please tell me there is an army of Fire Priestesses coming to save the day. Or Nymeria and her ginormous wolf pack. Or anything, really, because this is absolutely freaking me out. Jon is watches everything from his dragon perch, and as he looks up, he sees the Night King and decides to fly after him. Great, I’m sure this will go off without a hitch.

On the walls, we see all our beloved warriors – they are still alive, you guys! I’m happy but I’m real scared for them. Jaime, Brienne, Gendry, Tormund, Beric, the Hound, Sam and Jorah all give the snow zombies a good fight, but the sheer volume of Dead is insane, and of course, more and more make it over the wall.

The whole scene inside Winterfell is pure chaos. There’s fire and death everywhere and the Hound is huddled against a wall suffering a panic attack. We finally see Arya in action and it’s bee-you-tee-ful! She fights off wights like it’s an art form, while Davos looks on with awe and respect.

Beric tries to rally the Hound, who has lost all hope and exclaims “You can’t fight death!” Just then, Arya bounds over a wall, slaying snow zombies like a boss and darts off inside Winterfell castle. “Tell that to her,” says Beric. This manages to get the Hound back into the game – they run after her.

With a terrifying crash, a snow zombie giant bursts through the Winterfell gate, swinging his club everywhere. He hits Lyanna Mormont who flies through the air like a rag doll. As the giant continues to pummel anybody in a 20 foot radius, Lyanna musters the strength to get back up on her feet and runs at him with a primal scream – battle axe in hand. The giant wight picks her up with one hand and crushes her bones. Ew, so gross…poor Lyanna! He lifts her to his face and she gets a look at his nasty mouth and rotting teeth just before she plunges her dragonglass axe straight into his glowing blue eye, killing him. Oh, man, RIP Lyanna Mormont, you badass, you! A hero to the end – I love her!

In the skies above the Godswood, Jon and Dany hover on their dragons, when the Night King appears out of nowhere on his zombie dragon. Viserion blasts a stream of blue dragon fire at Dany and Drogon. In the attack, Rhaegal falls in a tailspin with Jon holding on for dear life. Meanwhile, Drogon darts upward, trying to avoid the dragon fire and Dany clutches on to him – lucky for her, dragon fire don’t hurt! Or does it? Just as quickly as he appeared, the Night King vanishes and Dany and Jon regain control of their dragons.

Arya makes her way into the Winterfell library – wait, Winterfell has a library?! A few wights are wandering around aimlessly. It’s an excruciatingly suspenseful scene as Arya froggers her way from one stack to the next, expertly avoiding the snow zombies at every turn, until she finally makes it to the other side of the room and out the door. Gotta say, I’m not really sure why she’s inside and where she is heading, but it’s still a cool scene. When she closes the library door behind her, however, she hears more wights and a few burst through a different door nearby. She fights them off and races through a bunch of corridors.

We get a quick view into the crypts – the women and children can hear terrified screams and bumps up the stairs, but they are still safe. For now.

Elsewhere inside the castle, Beric and the Hound cautiously make their way through the maze of passageways. A door bursts open and Arya thuds to the ground on her back, trying to kill the snow zombie on top of her. Beric saves her life and fights off the next round of wights, while the Hound ushers Arya down another hallway. Even more of the Dead come and Beric valiantly holds them off, sacrificing himself as a human barrier in the hallway. Arya and the Hound duck into a room, and a critically injured Beric follows them and collapses to the floor as they bar the door. Arya crouches next to Beric as his last breath escapes his chest and his eyes go dead.

Oh hey, looks who’s also here in the room! It’s Melisandre. She tells Arya the Lord of Light brought Beric back for a purpose, and that purpose has been served. Arya turns to the Red Woman and goes “Hey, I know you. You made lots of freaky predictions for me, and you were right about them. Like how we’d meet again and how I’d kill a bunch of people.” -“And here we are. I also told you that you’d close a lot of eyes forever: brown eyes, green eyes…and blue eyes.” The wights claw and pound at the door. Melisandre leans into Arya and says “What do we say to the god of death?” Arya stares at the door and replies “Not today.” She takes a moment and then runs off.

In the Godswood, Theon and his crew defend Bran from tons of snow zombies and they are doing a pretty good job. And what’s Bran doing? Still warging, but we don’t know what he’s seeing, so one can only presume that he is watching all the series finales of Lost, The Sopranos, Dexter and Seinfeld and taking notes on what not to do.

The Night King is in full destruction mode and has his dragon blast a huge hole in one of the Winterfell turrets. Jon is right on his tail and we have a mid-air dragon fight between Rhaegal and Viserion. Dany is close by and sees the Night King fall off his dragon. Jon’s dragon, meanwhile sustains some injuries in the fight and ends up crash landing – Jon is thrown off into the snow during the crash. Jorah, who is fighting in the courtyard, looks up when he hears a dragon’s distressed cry. Is his Khaleesi in trouble?

Daenerys spies the Night King on the ground. It’s time to dracarys the crap out of this mofo! Drogon blasts out a long stream of fire and the Night King is engulfed in flames.

Jon is nearby and stumbles toward the inferno. But as the fire subsides and the flames die down we see: the Night King stands there unharmed. He glares at Daenerys, and then he gives her a winning smirk and pulls back his spear arm. Daenerys acts fast and gets her dragon airborne just in time for the spear to miss them. Question…might the Night King be a Targaryen and this is why he doesn’t burn?

The Night King walks toward Winterfell and Jon runs after him. Night King stops, turns to look at Jon and goes “Hey, bro, wanna see my fun parlor trick again?” He raises his arms and we all know what’s coming. The dead are all being resurrected! Noooo! Fallen bodies rise everywhere: the battle field, the Winterfell courtyard, and of course also…the crypts, and we see the Night King’s lieutenants walk through the Winterfell gates. Meep! The Night King gives Jon a “That’ll keep ya busy for a while” look and turns to leave. I’m officially losing all hope here.

Back in the Godswood, Theon and his guys still fight off the baddies while Bran is…still warging!!! Omg, Bran, seriously? He better be seeing something really great and have figured out some fantastic way to kill the Night King. But ya know what? We just don’t know, because we don’t get to see any of it.

Surrounded by a fresh Army of Dead, Jon looks about done for, but Dany swoops in to save him and torches a bunch of snow zombies. Well, that’s a good sign, considering the tense moment they shared before the fighting began. Jon yells to Dany “Bran!” and she tells him to go save him while she handles the wights on the ground. In a matter of seconds, a bunch of snow zombies have jumped atop of Drogon and the dragon takes to the sky to shake them off – and Daenerys falls off. Great. She is surrounded by wights and just as an undead zombie is about to strike, its head is chopped off by: Ser Jorah Mormont for the win!!! Wooooot! He fights off more wights and Dany picks up a sword – they back up to each other, ready to take on more of the dead.

Jon battles his way through the gates and in the courtyard he sees his friends fighting for their lives – overpowered by the mass of undead that are attacking them. Sam is on the ground and Jon just keeps running. Brienne is also struggling. It’s all completely hopeless.

In the Godswood, Theon is out of arrows. He and his men continue to put up a brave fight, while Bran is still off on his warging vacation. DUDE!!! Can you please for the love of the Old Gods and the New figure out a way to help everybody?

The crypts aren’t looking any better, what with all the dead Stark skeletons attacking everybody. Sansa and Tyrion hide behind a grave and have a long wordless exchange as they look at each other, accepting that these may be their last few moments alive.

A haunting melancholy song starts to play over all the following scenes:

Sansa pulls out the dagger Arya gave her, and Tyrion kisses her hand before they both leave their hiding place and run to…I don’t know…commit suicide in once last heroic act to kill as many wights as they can before they go down?

The music continues and we get snippets of all our heroes in great peril. Jon makes his way through the courtyard on his mission to get to Bran, but the ice dragon, Viserion, is in his path, spewing his fiery blue stream everywhere, and Jon keeps having to retreat for cover.

Jorah and Dany continue to fight off snow zombies.

The crypts are a mess, but Sansa and Tyrion have managed to find a safe alcove with Varys and a few others.

Jon keeps attempting to advance toward the Godswood but the dragon stops him at every turn.

Theon shows some mad fighting skills, and it’s really a nice redeeming moment to see him working so hard to protect Bran. He battles the last of his attackers, when looky here…in slow motion to the haunting melody, we see the Night King and his White Walker entourage saunter into the Godswood.

There’s one last shot of all our brave men and women in the courtyard – Jaime, Podrick, Grey Worm, Brienne, Tormund, Sam – they are all completely screwed, fighting off zombies with a snowball’s chance of survival. I do not like this one bit.

In the Godswood, Theon puts up a final fight and kicks snow zombie butt like a boss till none are standing. Finally Bran’s white eyes flicker back to consciousness. “Oh hai, y’all! Did I miss anything?” Great timing, Bran. I hope you have an ace up your sleeve. Bran looks at Theon and in a far off voice tells him “Theon, you’re a good man. Thank you.”

Theon casts one last glance at Bran, then grabs a spear and runs headlong at the Night King who stands there cool as a cucumber. Seeing how it’s all in slow mo, it takes a good while and all I can think is “Oh, dude, there’s just no way.” Sure enough, at the moment he is within reach, Night King grabs his spear, and impales Theon Greyjoy. Ya know what, I gave Theon a lot of flack throughout the series, but this episode he really came through as a brave warrior and got the absolution from Bran that he has so craved. I am just a teary mess at this point.

Again, we get lots of cutaways to all the other peeps who are pretty much about to bite it – including Jorah who takes some gnarly hits as he continues to protect Daenerys. Jon rises from his place of cover, looks at Viserion and screams at him while the dragon hocks up a nice big fireball loogie to spew at him. Really, Jon? That’s how you’re gonna go out?

The Night King walks slowly to Bran who looks up at him like “You wouldn’t hurt a guy in a wheelchair, would you?” Ok, actually, Bran looks as vacant as ever, ready to accept whatever fate has in store for him. He glances at the snow sword the Night King has on his back like “Soooo…you gonna use that on me bro?” Night King looks back like “Oh, you like this? Let me introduce the two of you.” This music is killing me, people. It’s the saddest tune ever. Night King reaches back behind his shoulder and BOOM, out of nowhere Arya flies through the sky behind him, her catspaw dagger clutched in her hand. But the Night King spins around and grabs her mid-air by the throat. She drops the dagger and it falls in slow motion…and then...Arya catches it with her other hand and with one fell thrust, sticks him with the pointy end right in his icy belly. OH. MY. STARS. The Night King immediately shatters. In a chain reaction, all his White Walker lieutenants, the snow zombies, and his ice dragon, crumble to the ground. Arya lands like the boss queen that she is and instantly achieves GOAT status in all of Westeros.

We get a view of our faves again – Ser Jorah collapses. Jon is alive. All the important people from the crypts are alive, and Arya and Bran stand alone in the quiet Godswood, corpses littering the snow.

Danerys holds Jorah, sobbing, and he dies in her arms. Nooooo! RIP Ser Jorah! This awesome friendzone 4eva warrior died protecting his Khaleesi, and that’s pretty much the only way he would want to go out, but it breaks my heart nonetheless. As Dany cries and cradles him, Drogon swoops down beside his dragon mama and protectively covers her with his wing. Awww, Drogon, that is sweet, but also: Where the hell were you like 10 minutes ago, hmmm?! It does NOT take that long to shake off a few undead snow zombies.

The Hound and Melisandre emerge into the outdoors. Melisandre keeps walking, past the dead, through the gates of Winterfell. Davos watches as she walks into the sunrise. She lets her cloak fall to the ground. As she walks through the battlefield, she removes her ruby necklace and drops it in the snow. We only see the back of her as she continues on. Her hair turns white and her walk becomes stilted. Finally she collapses with an air of release and exhaustion and the wind carries away a wisp of dust where she lays. Gurl, I feel ya. Aaaand roll credits.

Whuuuuuut just happened??? This was such an incredibly tense episode and it had me tied in knots, but honestly, that ending had me feeling major disappointment in terms of the end of the Night King and the Long Night and everything – it’s all over, just like that, and now we’re just back to the petty business of getting Cersei off the throne? Yes, it was a good and very suspenseful episode, but I had a lot of expectations that were not met.

Part of that may be because I was reading so many theories that had to do with the prophecies around Azor Ahai and Lightbringer that are mentioned in the books, so maybe that’s my bad. And I thought Jaime would play a much bigger role than just fighting next to Brienne. Especially after Jaime’s chat with Bran the previous episode.

Mostly, I’m bummed that the Dead storyline is dunzo, because I felt there was a lot of mythology around the Night King and the White Walkers and the Children of the Forest, and the Three Eyed Raven that we didn’t get much information on. Why did the Night King decide to take over the world now? Who was he as a human? If White Walkers were defeated 1,000 years ago, how did they come back? What about Night King’s ability to transform babies into White Walkers, and yet we don’t see any White Walker nursemaids anywhere? Who is raising the White Walker toddlers, people??? Well, it’s all moot now, but I’d still like to have known.

What about all the fire priestesses who have been rallying for Dany in Essos? And what did Melisandre do while she was away - I assumed she’d be gathering her squad and coming up with a much better game plan than “I’m gonna light a few useless things on fire”. Ok, she did give Arya that last pep talk to send her on her way, but really, that was her big contribution and it seemed lacking overall. Why didn’t we get to see what Bran was doing while he was warging the whole time? I wanted flashbacks! I wanted him to accidentally pull a Hodor on the Mad King and be the reason the king went mad - all while Bran was digging in the past, trying to figure out a way to kill the White Walkers AND then go even further back in time and build the Wall...and all the other crazy theories I’ve read. I wanted Tyrion to surprise everybody and be like “Guess what, I still have a Wildfire contact and I got us some secret sauce to kill the White Walkers”.

And then there is Nymeria and her giant wolf pack - I thought they’d show up and kill some wights. Also: Are the Reeds (Meera and her dad, Howlan) just totally MIA, even though all the Northern bannermen were called to help Winterfell? I feel like they would have shown up to help. Also, the show was making a really big deal out of the crypts in the GOT Season 8 trailers - they have gone to the trouble to include them in the credits. There has to be more to the crypts than just everybody hiding there in this episode, and having the dead come back to life, right? I hope so.

I will give credit to the good parts that I really loved – like Arya’s badassery and her saving the day by the Weirwood tree where Bran gave her the catspaw dagger to begin with. That same dagger, which was used in the assassination attempt of little Bran. In a way – just as Littlefinger mentioned - that dagger did start a chain of events that led all the Starks to where they were today, with the skills they’ve acquired to help rid their world of this one huge threat to humanity. It’s poetic and I appreciate that. And I really enjoyed the Sansa and Tyrion moments. Those two are totes gonna get together, and I really do think the way things will shake out, we’ll see them on the throne at the very end. But, I guess I’m just sad that in the end the huge threat of the White Walkers seems like it was simply a red herring side plot and now we’re back to business as usual.

It seems really unfair that this huge epic event took place and the only people who know about it are the Northerners. It didn’t affect anybody else in Westeros, and yet it is the most important thing that happened, because if the good guys had failed, it would have rendered everybody else in Westeros dead – and I feel like they will get no love or appreciation from anybody for that. I just felt like the war against the White Walkers was such a big thing and instead it’s just all “Meh, they’re gone. Next chapter!” I mean…what purpose will Bran serve now?

And while it is, of course, sad to see Dolorous Edd, Beric Dondarrion, Lyanna Mormont and Theon Greyjoy die, it’s kind of small potatoes. The only death that was super impactful was that of Ser Jorah Mormont, because the other characters were likable yet minor when you look at emotional stakes for the viewer. It just doesn’t seem very Game of Thrones-y to not lose some huge players. Can the whole remaining Stark family really survive the rest of the series? Don’t get me wrong, I’m happy all our fan faves are still doing well, but I expected to feel much more gutted by this episode. Maybe they are just saving their deaths for the next few episodes. Double meep! Omigoodness, I just realized that I’m sad that the writers didn’t emotionally flay me. What the heck have you done to me, GOT?!

Anyway, I’ve had a few days to process it all and have come to terms with the fact that the whole Long Night, “Winter is Here” plot which had so much mystery, prophecy and cool potential, just ain’t happening anymore. It is, after all, called Game of Thrones and not Game of Surviving the Freaky Deaky Undead Weirdos, so I’m coming around to the fact that our heroes are now going to focus on who’ll be on the Iron Throne. I just…hate Cersei and don’t want to see her stupid face anymore. I’m kinda hoping there is a secret passageway from Winterfell to the Red Keep and Arya can just go to Cersei, disguised as Jaime and kill her already. Ok, those are all my thoughts for now. I’ll see ya here next week!

#GOTrecaps #gameofthrones #GOT #thelongnight #nightking #Game of Thrones #recap

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studiono13 · 3 years

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Another Installment of Rosh’s Rants - Bristol Airport Expansion Protest

I went to the protest against the airport expansion on Saturday - organised by people who have spent years campaigning against the airport expansion. In 2020 they won! In February 2020 Councillors voted to reject Bristol Airport’s application to expand. 18 voted in favour of rejecting the application, 7 against and 3 abstentions.

Two years later this decision however was overturned by ‘government officials’ stating that the ‘socioeconomic benefits outweighed the harm.’

Some of their statements are laughable - “Other environmental effects have been assessed, including climate change, highways matters, air quality, as well as character and appearance, and biodiversity. These are considered to be neutral in the balance.’ Neutral? Two million extra passengers a year and the effect would be neutral?? I’m no expert but this sounds a bit like all those statements Boris makes - employment has gone up during the pandemic, I wasn’t at a party, Brexit will provide extra money for the NHS - all bullshit and bluster. Let’s say whatever we want to get things done our way, let’s not listen to experts or scientists or modellers or statisticians - the truth doesn’t matter, integrity doesn’t matter, the greater good? Who cares? The RIGHT thing? None of it matters, money, power, status is KING - and the truth is none of that will matter when there’s nowhere left to live. It’s a terrifying problem and one which the government seems unable to take on, it is enormous and scary but it’s not going away by not facing it, by not tackling it.

Saturday was emotional - all these speakers who’ve already done so much to fight this resigned to the fact that they have to do it all again. I came back angry and upset - I couldn’t write about it straightaway.

That this government has trampled through all the processes they've been through to just decide that they’re going to overturn it is so typical of this government. They have made all the right noises about the climate, COP26, targets etc but then Boris took a plane back to London from Glasgow.

And the thing is we have to keep on fighting this because big decisions like this, expansions of airports vastly outweigh all the stuff we try and do ourselves. I walk, cycle, take the bus or the train everywhere I can but this is small fry in comparison to an airport expansion practically on my doorstep. I am by no means perfect and I’m forever realising I could be doing things better. And then I walk to school and its like a a parade of enormous 4x4s, and those people who leave their engines running whilst they’re waiting to collect (who the fuck are you?). And then there are the people taking unnecessary flights (hello Prime Minister) - surely if we’re learnt anything from the pandemic it’s that we don’t have to be in the same room or the same country to have an effective meeting. Those people using stupid coffee pod machines, a little bit of landfill with every cup. The people using disposable nappies, sanitary towels and tampons, little soap pumps, plastic boxes of washing liquid capsules, the list goes on and on - omigod I know that the some of the alternatives might be a bit less convenient but our convenience has got us in this mess and the only way out is to put ourselves out, to do some work. It's going to be a lot more convenient than battling fires and floods and famine that will be the reality if not for us then certainly for our children and grandchildren

I drive my husband mad - if we haven’t got our cups with us we can’t get a coffee anywhere unless they’ve got real cups, I won’t get take-aways or buy things in M&S food because their packaging is like actual tupperware. I haven’t bought a new bottle of shampoo or washing up liquid or bathroom cleaner for years - we just refill. If we’ve run out of milk we can’t just pick some up on the way home from somewhere because I need to get my glass bottle to refill it. Yes I know I should be vegan. Yes it is (and I am) a complete pain in the arse but I can’t just ignore it.

But who are all these people that think it doesn’t apply to them that they are immune to climate change? Do they really think it’s not happening? Money and status, enormous cars and fancy holidays are not going to protect them from all the challenges to come.

And people who say they are not political, that politics doesn’t affect them, that they ‘don’t like to talk about politics’ - Wake up! Engage! What they want is you to turn a blind eye. Everything this joker and his band of deluded, loyal minions are doing is for themselves, they don’t care about us or the long term or the planet. Be a pain in the arse to your MP, question your actions, the actions of others - do whatever you can.

#climatechange #bristolairportexpansion #extinctionrebellion #playyourpart #engage #politicsisforeveryone

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gumnut-logic · 6 years

Text

Favourite Character Meme

From @the-lady-razorsharp

Rules: Name your ten favorite characters in any fandom, then tag ten friends to do the same.

Okay...

Jim, John, Jack, John, Michael, John, Tony, and Virgil. Hmm, that’s not ten, but these are the only ones up there on a pretty much equal standing.

Jim Kirk - Star Trek: The Original Series & The Alternate Original Series. This is my original fandom. This is where is all started. The first fandom I encountered way back in 1986 (and yes, I am halfway through my lifespan, told you I never grew up :D ). He was in my first fanfic (which will never see the light of the internet because omigod bad - though you can see my second one - Goodbye, Spock - both of which were physically printed in my local club’s fanzine all those years ago). My history with ST is a little different to some. I entered through the James Blish books as at the time the show was not being shown on TV at all, videos were scarce and expensive and ST was not trendy, not at least until ST:TNG came to play a few years later (well, try four years, it took forever for anything to get onto this side of the planet back then). Fortunately there were books in libraries and I was an avid reader (and as a budding librarian, I had my ways :D ). So due to this, William Shatner wasn’t in the equation when I first met Jim Kirk. In fact, when I first saw ST:TMP I stared at the screen and asked what TJ Hooker was doing in the captain’s chair?!

Jim Kirk is your typical hero. Sacrifices himself to save the day, has great friends who would do the same for him, and a honkin’ great big starship to back him up. What’s not to like? :D

John Crichton - Farscape In the early 2000s before the new Battlestar Galactica changed sci-fi storytelling for good, Farscape was at the forefront. It bent the rules that BG later broke completely and that single astronaut stranded on the other side of galaxy found himself in a world nothing like the safe Star Trek he probably grew up with.

John Crichton is a geek, but a geek with spine and a good set of leather pants, long black jacket and a big gun to match. At heart he was a gentle scientist, but he was forced to adapt and kick ass. But through everything something in him stayed true and the world around him which at first found him simply a weak oddity eventually mapped itself to him. His weaknesses became his strengths, his associates of suspect motivations became his loyal friends and together they took on the universe.

And the leather, c’mon...

Jack O’Neill - Stargate SG-1 Oh, poor Jack. Stargate fandom was where I truly waded into fandom. I started really writing here back in 2003 (yes, I’ve been on FF.net that long). I met some fantastic friends through Stargate that had both me and them travelling thousands of miles to meet each other. It was also where I learnt to whump. As I said, poor Jack :D i wrote my first novel length fic in Stargate all 75,000 words of it. Took three months, most written by hand as I couldn’t type fast enough - by the time I finished it, I could touch type.

Jack is the only character I can claim to still be older than me, just (it was a momentous year when I passed Jim Kirk’s age of 34, our characters are forever young, we are not). He is the goofy colonel, typical tough guy with a soft heart, but will of steel who always did what he thought was right, willing to make the necessary sacrifices just like Jim Kirk, and again with the team who would all do the same for him.

John Sheridan - Babylon 5 Okay, I admit it, I was a Scarecrow and Mrs King fan long before Bab 5 was even dreamt up. but the beard in season 4 that did it :D I’ve never written in this fandom, basically because it is pretty much a closed loop story and the actual show did a pretty good job of venturing where fandom would have gone anyway :D

John was another military type with a strong moral backbone (would you believe that I’m not a military type, but all these guys seem to be - what that says about me, I don’t know :D ). Again he is soft around the edges hence the whole Delenn storyline. Maybe for me it is a combination of kickass, doing what is right and squishy insides :D

Michael Knight - Knight Rider I loved Knight Rider as a kid and in 2004 when I discovered the tiny little KR writing fandom online, I instantly fell in love. Real Life at the time was a bit of a challenge and KR was a haven for me. I wrote a lot of KR fanfic and it and the people I met in that fandom still hold a special place in my heart. Michael and Kitt saw me through some tough stuff and I returned the tough onto poor Michael. If I was feeling awful, he got it. I used my writing as a vent zone and managed to create something out of it. This was also the fandom that introduced me to RP. And yes, I RP’d Michael Knight, you can find my long abandoned journal here. I also managed a bunch of other characters including a several hundred year old version of KITT.

I really should say Michael and Kitt, because just like Kirk and Spock, one character isn’t much without the other. A hothead ex-cop who, once again, has a moral core to stand up for the small guy and drives a smart car, literally. The both of them together are quite capable of kicking ass. A not so typical buddy cop show with so many writing possibilities. I built up my writing skills in this fandom and eventually started writing original works (which were all brought to a grinding halt by the event of motherhood in 2008, thus followed the lack of writing for the following 10 years...until a month ago).

John Sheppard - Stargate Atlantis I’m mentioning this John because I fell into SGA quite hard about three years ago, but with the exception of one unfinished attempt at fic (which you can find on FF.net), i haven’t really written anything in this fandom. I like a bit of John and Rodney interaction and because I know SG-1 so well, and John is really just a younger version of Jack in many ways, it was inevitable.

John is military (again ::sigh:: ), but not military. He breaks the mold and tends to be just outside what he should be. Again a softy, not as confident or as steely as Jack O’Neill, but with his own code and strengths.

Tony Stark - Marvel Cinematic Universe Well, in all that writing desert, this is where I have been. There is enough fic in that massive fandom to keep an addict fed for years, literally, I’ve tried it. I have never written any Avengers fic. There is no need to, and really with young children, a job and a small business there really wasn’t time.

Tony Stark is a geek with money. He has troubles, he’s socially messed up in places, but under it all he does his best. He cares, sometimes too much, and is willing to step up to do what is necessary. He is far from perfect and he screws up big time, but he continues to try. There is also a load of angst and whump attached to this poor character, even in canon. (I think the last movie sent me into shock, I really shouldn’t have seen it while recovering from appendicitis, it hurt). And he is not a soldier, he has made that perfectly clear.

Virgil Tracy - Thunderbirds Are Go And here we are today. About a month a go this fandom hit me like freight train and in the process revived my writing skills, created this journal and drew me back into fandom. I still don’t have time to write, but somehow I have.

Out of all the characters above, Virgil is the most different. He has an artistic side which I can understand, being an artist myself (no, I don’t play the piano or any other instrument, unfortunately). He’s a softy, he’s kind, a bit of a dork, he’s calm (much unlike all of the above), he has four brothers he would do anything for, is certainly well built for a cgi character...and he drives a big honkin’ aerotank :D Pairing him up with Scott leads to interesting conversations and the whumpfactor...I’m so sorry, Virgil. But I think at the core of it is the hero again. The Tracy boys go out to save people. There are no guns, no animosity, they are just trying to help because they care. And who couldn’t fall in love with that?

I’m not going to tag anyone, but feel free. it is an interesting way to share info about yourself :D

#fandom #fanfiction #jim kirk #john crichton #jack o'neill #john sheridan #michael knight #john sheppard #tony stark #virgil tracy

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my-lazy-genius · 7 years

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“I don’t want to call you stupid, but…” “Just say it.” “I’m gonna need you to never leave your room again” Jeremy Heere/Michael Mell

Send me a request!

Title: So In Hindsight Maybe I Really Don’t Know Anything About Cartoon Voice Actors?Fandom: Be More Chill :: Boyf riendsRequested by: @ilossayaPrompt: “I don’t want to call you stupid, but…” “Just say it.” “I’m gonna need you to never leave your room again” from putthepromptsonpaper

“Michael,” Jeremy starts, eyeing his friend, “how high are you?”

“Uh,” Michael pauses, “I dunno. 5’11”, last I checked.”

Jeremy just sighs and picks up his controller again. “I can’t believe we’re still stuck on the cafetorium.”

“M’sorry about Christine,” Michael mumbles, fingers twisting over his controller.

Jeremy watches his character, Player 2, flicker and fall to the zombies.

“It’s okay.”

–

Life more or less returns to normal. Jeremy and Christine stay friends. Sometimes, watching her during play rehearsals, he thinks that maybe he can see why he liked her so much. Other times, he watches her as she interacts with Jake and Brooke and Chloe and Rich and anybody else and he knows they’re better off this way.

In their relationship, they’d both been a match - blazed too strongly and burned out. The breakup had been mutual; soft, apologetic smiles and understanding eyes. He’s grateful to still be her friend. Christine is bright, like a beacon, and her unrelenting happiness is a nice change from his self-deprecating days.

But always, Michael is there.

Without fail, his best friend is there when he needs him. Jeremy knows they both have plenty of issues - like a massive amount of issues - but Michael is his pillar of strength, even when they’re both reduced to playing video games in silence or just tucked up under a blanket. Jeremy doesn’t ever tell Michael how much he appreciates him - and he knows he should, but he’s just never seen the chance. Michael, on the other hand, always seems to find the right time to inform Jeremy how much he appreciates his friendship.

He’s gotten better about it, but Jeremy still isn’t sure how people are so open.

–

“Slushie?” Michael offers. “I think the girl at 7-Eleven was flirting with me. I got a second slushie for free.”

Jeremy takes it. It’s his favorite flavor, sure enough.

“I think any girl would be lucky to have someone like you, Michael,” he says.

Michael pulls his headphones up. “You think?” He asks, but doesn’t meet Jeremy’s eyes.

“Definitely,” Jeremy says, but he knows Michael isn’t listening anymore.

–

“Michael is in the crowd,” Christine tells him, when she ducks backstage, “on the third row, middle section. Sixth seat, I think. I didn’t have a chance to really count.”

“He came to see the play again?”

Jeremy doesn’t know why he’s surprised anymore. Michael has come to every performance since the squip incident. He’s normally somewhere in the front, sipping contently on a Mountain Dew Red.

(“Just in case,” Michael tells him, one of such days, when he comes to congratulate Jeremy again.)

Christine gapes at him. “You’re… you’re joking, right? Jeremy, Michael is-”

“Let him figure it out himself, if he’s that dense about it,” Rich interrupts, slinking by in his boy scout costume to get back on for his scene with Chip and Barfée.

Christine sets her dictionary prop down and sighs. “You’re a Coneybear, alright.”

(After the musical, he finds Michael in the crowd. His friend beams and pushes through the people to meet him.

“I can’t believe you played a hippie child,” he laughs, “that didn’t know what a capybara was.”

“Thanks for coming,” Jeremy replies.

“Anything for you, dude.”)

–

“Fellas,” Michael starts, staring Jeremy down from where his friend stands across the cafeteria, talking to Christine, “is it gay to fantasize about being in a loving relationship with your best friend of sixteen years?”

“Of cou-” Chloe starts, but Brooke and Rich both slaps their hands over Chloe’s mouth with an audible clap.

She yelps behind four palms.

“Nope,” Brooke says, “not at all.”

–

“He really cares about you, Jeremy.”

Jeremy looks up at his dad’s voice and follows his gaze to where Michael is out cold on their couch, arm slung over his face and one leg hooked over the back. Jeremy is sitting nearby, playing a boring game on his phone. Michael had shown up sometime this morning, let himself in, and passed out on the couch. He has yet to wake, and Jeremy isn’t going to bother him.

“I mean, he’s been my best friend for what? Sixteen or seventeen years?” Jeremy lifts an eyebrow. “I’d hope he cares about me. I know I care about him.”

“No, I mean-”

“Aw, you care about me?” Michael’s cooing voice interrupts, and Jeremy jumps, whirling to gape at the boy.

“Have you been awake this whole time?”

Michael grins from beneath his arm. “I might have been.”

Jeremy reaches over and smacks him in the gut so hard that Michael falls off of the couch and just laughs.

–

Christine is staring at him incredulously.

Jeremy can’t figure out why. So what if he just figured out that his feelings for Michael are certainly more than friendly?

“Jeremy Heere,” Christine drags out his name, “Michael is very gay for you.”

“Oh,” says Jeremy, and he promptly gets up and marches out.

–

“Hey, Michael?” Jeremy asks, from his spot on the swings.

It’s been years since they last visited this park - Michael had been driving Jeremy back home when the latter had spotted it and convinced Michael to pull over. In the next swing over, Michael tugs his hood up - that same orange jacket he’s had for years, with the addition of new patches occasionally - and looks over.

“Yeah?”

“You know you’re my favorite person, right?”

For a moment, he thinks Michael might make a coy comment, like the first time he’d said the same during their junior year, but Michael merely blinks at him, dark eyes glittering in the streetlights.

He asks, “Including Christine?”

Jeremy laughs. “Including Christine.”

They spend the next hour swinging and talking of whatever comes to mind. Michael’s hood flies off and he laughs when Jeremy challenges him to see who can jump further. Nonetheless, he takes the dare. They end up jumping the same distance, and neither lands on his feet. Jeremy laughs, winded, and rolls over to use Michael’s outstretched arm as a pillow. It was preferable to the wood chips.

“Hey, Jer?”

“Yeah?”

“Remember that time I brought you a slushie and you told me any girl would be lucky to have me?”

“What about it?”

Michael turns his head to look at Jeremy. “I’m, uh.”

Jeremy pats his friend’s arm. “Gay. I know.”

“You- You know?” Michael looks confused, until he meets Jeremy’s gaze and sighs. “Christine. Of course. That girl can’t keep a secret to save her life.”

“S’okay,” Jeremy murmurs, catching his breath.

“Yeah?”

“Yeah.”

Jeremy doesn’t move off of Michael’s arm. Michael doesn’t ask him to. His glasses came off, and Jeremy figures it happened when they hit the ground. There are wood chips in his dark hair and Jeremy reaches out one arm to pick a couple out.

“Hey, Michael?” He says again, but Michael’s attention is already on him, watching Jeremy with some unreadable expression.

“Yeah?” Michael asks.

“You know I love you, right?”

Michael hesitates. “As a friend?”

“No,” says Jeremy, “more.”

“Oh,” Michael replies.

“Yeah,” Jeremy closes his eyes, “oh.”

–

“Wait,” Jake looks vaguely annoyed, glancing between Michael and Jeremy, “what do you mean you just started dating?”

“Jeremy’s oblivious,” Christine replies, waving a dismissive hand.

“Omigod,” Jenna pokes her head between Chloe and Brooke’s shoulders, “you guys actually ended up getting together? Pay up, Chloe.”

Chloe glowers at the two, before she turns and puts ten dollars in Jenna and Brooke’s waiting hands. Jenna immediately pockets hers and goes back to texting, considerably more eager about it.

“That’s gay,” Rich comments, picking at his nails.

“You’re gay,” Brooke retorts.

“This is bi erasure,” Rich gasps dramatically, slamming his hands on the table so hard that the group halfway down jumps.

“Rich,” Christine asks, “remind me why you aren’t in theatre?”

Jeremy looks at Michael - really looks at him. He’s practically glowing, looking on in amusement at the group. His fingers, interlaced with Jeremy’s, tighten.

–

“God is real,” Michael breathes, staring at level clear screen.

“It only took a year to beat,” Jeremy laughs, “but we finally cleared it. I can’t breathe.”

Michael jumps up from his bean bag. “Jeremy, we did it!”

Jeremy tumbles backwards as Michael half flings himself into his arms. They’re both laughing, something between relief and joy and these - these are the moments Jeremy lives for.

–

“Oh,” Michael says.

Jeremy looks over from his spot on the couch. “What?”

Michael is sitting on the floor in front of the television, legs crossed and shuffling through Jeremy’s multitude of movies.

“I didn’t know Ellen voiced Dory,” Michael says.

Jeremy stares at him for a long time.

“Michael,” he finally starts, “You know- what, every anime voice actor ever? And I don’t want to call you stupid, but…”

Michael resigns himself to his inevitable fate. “Just say it.”

“I’m gonna need you to never leave your room again.”

#be more chill #boyf riends #michael mell #jeremy heere #my writing #writing ask meme #whatever asks

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wendelah · 7 years

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Meet my Yuletide-eligible small fandom: "Deviations: The X-Files" (comic). Now I need someone besides myself to offer to write it and/or request it, which is why I am down on my hands and knees writing this last minute informational post.

What?! How can The X-Files possibly be eligible for Yuletide? It's not. But this tiny spin-off of a spin-off is in the Yuletide 2017 taglist. I nominated it again this year, and it was approved.

"Deviations: The X-Files" is a standalone comic first published by IDW in March, 2016. There were six Deviations published, one for The X-Files and the rest for other comics series in their lineup. Each comic is a one-shot alternative universe. In March of this year, a second issue was published.

The entire rest of the post is a spoiler for the comic. But you should keep reading anyway.

Back in April of 2016, scans_daily at Dreamwidth posted a good-sized portion of it: Deviations: The X-Files. There's enough to give you the flavor of it, I think. Though it's not as helpful, here's their post from this year: Deviations: The X-Files 2017.

In "Deviations: The X-Files," instead of appearing in Fox Mulder's flashbacks as she does in the TV series, Samantha Mulder is one of the main characters. As you recall, in the original series, she died at age fourteen, following her abduction at age eight. In the Deviations AU, it is Fox Mulder who is abducted in 1973, not his sister Samantha. In the comic, Director Blevins assigns Dana Scully to work with Special Agent Samantha Mulder on the X-Files. Agent Scully isn't pleased about her new assignment and says as much right to Director Blevins' face.

We aren't told nearly enough about Agent Samantha Mulder: about her early career in the Bureau, about how she got the X-Files division opened. However, unlike Agent Fox Mulder who was perennially distracted from his quest by articles in the National Enquirer, Agent Samantha Mulder is focused on finding out what happened to her brother. Together, Samantha Mulder and Dana Scully investigate case after case of children who were abducted from their homes under circumstances similar to Fox Mulder's disappearance in 1973.

In the Deviations universe, we discover that the adult Fox Mulder is still alive and working for the Cigarette Smoking Man. (Seriously? Yes. Yes, indeed.) Naturally, this comic, and its 2017 follow-up, ends with a cliffhanger! The X-Files always ends on a cliffhanger, or so sayeth Chris Carter. Why did I buy this comic anyway? I knew it would not end well.

But omigod. Just look at them! They're so pretty!

"Deviations" is thin enough in terms of plot, characterizations, and backstory that an author could write nearly anything they wanted, as long as they stuck to the basic premise, i.e. Fox was abducted instead of Samantha. For fans who love Yuletide and love The X-Files, particularly if you want to write about female characters, it's a potential goldmine.

I nominated these characters: Cigarette Smoking Man (Deviations), Dana Scully (Deviations), Fox Mulder (Deviations), and Samantha Mulder (Deviations).

AVAILABILITY: Deviations: The X-Files and Deviations: The X-Files 2017 can each be purchased as a digital comic for only $1.99 or as a print edition for $4.99 (plus postage). The comic is also available at Amazon and for your Kindle. Here is Deviations: The X-Files 2017 at Amazon.

If you download the comics, this is virtually an instant fandom. You still have time--barely--to edit your Yuletide signup--or sign up today, if you haven't already done so. There are several thousand fandoms in this year's tag-set.

There is only one story in this fandom, Life Doesn't Discriminate (Between Sinners And Saints) by chicafrom3 (go read it now, you will love it). It needs more. I need more. Thank you.

#The X-Files #yuletide 2017 #Dana Scully #samantha mulder #Fox Mulder

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in-it-for-the-anime · 7 years

Text

How “Girl Meets World” Helped My Best Friend & I Through Our Trauma

My best friend, who we’ll call F, has been my best friend since second grade. She and I discovered the Disney channel shows Girl Meets World & Best Friends Whenever, and decided that we could relate to the two main characters. I was Cyd/Riley, and she was Shelby/Maya.

To begin the story, though, we’ll have to start before GMW existed. In fourth grade, I met this girl, who we’ll call B. She became my best friend since F and I weren’t in the same class. I was too young to realize this at the time, but B didn’t have a very good home life. My mother realized this and tried to alert the school of it, but they never did anything. Anyway, B would always come over to my house and do things with me. We were inseparable. In fifth grade though, everything changed. We transitioned to middle school, and B became the popular kid. One of my so-called friends, K, began bullying me, and isolated me from B. I felt so alone and hurt from it that I tried to isolate myself from everyone. But guess who stuck by my side? F. She tried her hardest to make me feel better.

Finally, I confronted K and B with the help of a guidance counselor. K got mad at me after that, but B sincerely got bad. She wrote me an apology note and even got me gifts. But despite our reconciliation, I still wasn’t close friends with her. The first half of sixth grade passed. B was there for a while, but suddenly she disappeared. I didn’t know where she went. Eventually one day one our other friends brought me and F into the girls’ bathroom to tell us what had happened: B had tried to commit suicide.

I was devastated. What was even harder for me was when she came back from treatment. Her group of girls were waiting for her in the girls’ bathroom. I hugged her and told her that I loved her I loved her. We went down to the cafeteria for lunch. She didn’t eat anything, even when I offered her my Oreos. I started having lunch in a teacher’s classroom from then on, avoiding seeing B and the deep cuts on her arms that were covered in gauze. I was glad when B went back to treatment, because she needed it. She was diagnosed with anorexia. I remember kids making a sign to put on her locker saying they missed her and wanted her to fight it. It took everything I had to go up and sign that poster.

Fast forward two years later. B came back to school, but that was fine because I had switched to a private school. I refused to make friends because I didn’t want to be there, and frustration and overwhelming amounts of schoolwork drove me to self harm for a good three months, but that’s not really an important part of this story. I did karate, and I found out that B was also doing karate. Her class was right before mine, so I ended up hiding in the bathroom to avoid seeing her and then I’d cry in the shower when I got home every night. Eventually I stopped doing karate because it was too much.

After a year at my new school, I began to like it. I made friends, but I didn’t have a ton because I wasn’t very good at socializing. Throughout my five years there, I struggled with being underweight and anxiety, but that’s not necessarily a part of the story. In tenth grade, F, who was still my best friend, revealed to me that she, similarly to B, was not having a good home life. Her mother became an alcoholic and was violent towards her father. Her brother threatened their mother when she got mad and threw a glass bottle at them, shattering it. “I wish I knew what happened to my mother. I wish I knew what made her like this,” F told me. Her mother had also become a drug addict, and this caused F a lot of pain. So she turned to self-harming.

It hurt to see now two of my friends going through self harm (I know I did it once, but I don’t really count that). Her boyfriend, who I’ll call Farkle, because he’s a lot like him, was a huge support through it. Luckily, F, her brother, and her father moved out of their house and in with their grandparents. F started going through counseling and recovered, much to my relief and happiness. It was around that time (I’m pretty sure) that we started watching Girl Meets World.

It became our favorite show. I loved the discussions and lessons in the show, I loved the way it made me think about things. It made me realize things and I felt like I was learning something. F and I saw ourselves in Maya and Riley and their friendship. “I can relate to Maya because she comes from a broken home,” F said. I could relate to Riley because she was insecure and cared about Maya like I did with F.

F said that the episode that helped her the most was “Girl Meets Forgiveness.” It inspired her to forgive her mother, who she met in counseling and talked to for the first time in a year. “I was terrified,” she said. “But I did it. After watching that episode, I realized that my mother’s stroke wasn’t her fault. But that’s the only reason I forgave her.” I was glad that that episode helped her, even though Maya didn’t forgive her father in that episode, F forgave her mother. She’ll occasionally text her mother now and then.

Senior year hit me hard. I was terrified of applying to college, but I did it. Also, there was a new teacher who was young, he was 23, and everyone immediately liked him. Like F, I found out that he had experienced domestic violence in his house when he was young but had semi- made up with his father. He had gone to Harvard so he was really smart. He was also black, the first teacher of color I ever had. He knew how to keep us engaged in class. A lot of kids, including me, went to him for advice. Let’s call him Mr. H.

The private school I went to was a Christian school, but was open to all religions. We were required to take a religion course. This year, our religion course was more or less a philosophy course. And to be completely honest, it reminded me of the GMW discussions and the lessons taught in Mr. Matthew’s classroom. Let’s call my religion teacher Mr. 2H.

Well, in Mr. 2H’s class one day, we watched a video on how to deal with the loss of a loved one. All I could think of was B, even though she was very much alive. I expected the feeling to pass, but it stayed with me. It weighed me down for months. It was so bad I even had a nightmare. In school, surrounded by kids I felt isolated from, I felt like B was inside me, making it hard to breathe, like her ghost was possessing me and wanted to get out of my body.

One day after school I asked to meet with Mr. H. I told him what was eating at me, and I cried in front of him. He tried to talk it out with me. From then on, I went to him for a lot of things, mostly about how I felt trapped by B. B followed me on Instagram, and I felt like that was something that would happen on a TV show to add more drama. Honestly the whole situation felt like an adult version of Girl Meets World. I told Mr. 2H what happened, too. He suggested that I felt guilty for not helping B, and I realized that he was right. “If you need to talk, my door is always open,” he assured me. “I hope you can get past this guilt. It’ll take time, but it will pass.”

One thing I learned about Mr. H was that he had grown up on Boy Meets World. I told him about Girl Meets World & that F and I identified with Riley and Maya. “Why?” he asked. “She dealt with things with her mother,” I answered. “She came from a similar background as Maya.” I told Mr. H that if I was Riley, then he was Mr. Matthews, since I always came to him for advice. My belief was further solidified when he gave a talk on love and told us about how his mother had ovarian cancer when he was in high school. He accepted his role as Mr. Matthews. I didn’t really have a character assignment for Mr. 2H yet.

I really opened up that year. I wrote a poem for my Creative Writing class about B, and that helped relieve a lot of the weight off my shoulders. My classmates supported me, and it was honestly the best feeling in the world. Mr. H and Mr. 2H and my Creative Writing teacher were all very proud of me. And F, despite the fact she was still at my old school.

A little bit more than halfway into the school year, I found out some terrible news: Mr. H had been fired. He had (supposedly) been in a relationship with a student, but no one knows the truth. It hurt. A lot. I felt so betrayed. We got a new teacher to replace him. The first few weeks of Mr. H being gone, I felt lost. Like before, when I was dealing with repressed emotions from B’s situation, I turned to my fantasies. I daydreamed about the Hetalia characters, mainly Germany and Prussia, and how’d they’d react if I was Germany’s girlfriend and what they’d do to help me about my situation. I liked to think about America inviting B over to his house so I could talk to her and how our conversation would go. I imagined that F and I had time travel powers like Cyd and Shelby from Best Friends Whenever, and me begging her to let us go back in time so I could be there for B, and her saying no, that you can’t move backwards to go forwards. This time, I pictured telling Prussia about Mr. H’s betrayal and what he’d say to me. It was really stupid, I know, but it helped me cope.

I finally realized that Mr. H wasn’t Mr. Matthews, but he was Shawn Hunter- he came from a broken family and made mistakes. I was on the phone with F telling her about it when that fact suddenly hit me. “Omigod, you’re right,” she said.

As the year went on, I recovered from the shock of Mr. H. I spent a lot of time with Mr. 2H, though. I told him about GMW but he never heard of it (he’d never watched BMW either) but that was okay. Towards the end of the year, we had to write senior speeches. I made the decision to put everything out there- all my struggles with B, with F, my anxiety, my own self-harm, my weight issues. I wasn’t going to leave anything left unsaid. I read my speech in front of the entire religion class. It left some people in tears, though I don’t know why. I got a lot of hugs. One girl named S was related to the teacher who I went to everyday for lunch in sixth grade to avoid seeing B. S cried when I mentioned that and threw her arms around me. I got hugs from a lot of people.

That weekend, F slept over and we watched Girl Meets Forgiveness. I wanted to see the episode that helped my best friend come to terms with her mother. What I didn’t expect was to be able to relate to it myself. The things Maya’s dad said, like, “It wasn’t your fault. You didn’t do anything. There’s nothing you could have done”, really struck me as I thought of what happened six years ago with B. But I nearly burst into tears as Mr. Matthews asked, “Maya, did you forgive yourself?” Seeing Maya hug him and start to sob made me realize that I had finally let go of most of the guilt that still hung onto me. It was what I needed to hear. At school I told Mr. 2H about the episode that had helped me forgive myself. He was proud of me for finally letting go. Mr. 2H came to my graduation party, even though it was like 45 minutes from his house, just to see me. He got to meet F. Even though I didn’t have Mr. H anymore, I was glad that I still had managed to find someone to support me.

Girl Meets World was a big part of my life. My yearbook quote was from the show: “That’s the secret of life. People change people.” Even though Mr. H didn’t turn out to be who I thought he was, I still appreciate the life lessons he taught me. He made me feel valid that I could call witnessing B’s pain traumatic for me. He helped me realize that I shouldn’t try to repress things anymore. Now that I graduated, I have a character assignment for Mr. 2H: Mr. Feeny. I told F and she totally agrees. She and I already have Mr. Feeny, Shawn, Riley, Maya, Farkle, and our friend E is Smackle. We might have our Lucas, but I’m not sure yet. Hopefully in college next year, I’ll find my Mr. Matthews. Girl Meets World might be over, but me, F, and our friends are ready to take on our own world.

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